How can I Tell You?
by XanRan in Fiction
Summary: Naruto and Hinata already be a jonin, but Naruto doesn't even know about his feeling for Hinata... can Naruto understand about his feeling?  not good in summary... so just read it  and review please and no flames
1. New Days Has Come

How can I tell you? - Chapter 1

Running in the rain

It was a rainy day... Hinata was running in the Rain. Her clothes were so wet that her clothes below her jacket got soaked as well. She would have gotten to the Hyuuga mansion earlier if she wasnt observing naruto training again. Ive gotta find some shelter or something! Hinata thought to herself. She decieded to run towards any house she might see and ask for shelter until the rain stops. She kept running and then she Saw a Bungalow.. it was not much but It'll have to do... She ran towards the house but her body was giving up on her... she was VERY tired. She kept running but she cant see anything anymore, her sight went blurry and she felt herself falling to the ground.

"what the?" she heard someone say behind her before she fell asleep.

Hinata woke up a few hours later. She looked around and Looked under her sheets and saw that her clothes were missing, she was naked.

"So... you awake?" She heard the similar voice say, she was surprized and she pulled the sheets closer to her to cover her as she sat up. "N-naruto?"

Naruto had grown very handsome. He Just turned 18. His Spiky hair was no longer held by his forehead protector, so it was let down. He grew as tall as 5'6" and his Style of clothing was pretty much the same as before, the only thing that changed about him was that he turned into a Jonin lately and practically learned better manners.

"ya know, you shouldnt run in the rain, you'll get sick..." he told hinata as he sat down beside her.

"Umm... N-naruto... where's my-"

"clothes? they're still wet... like to borrow my robe?" Naruto smiled and passed his robe over to hinata

Hinata blushed a deep shade of red and slowly accepted his robe. She went out of bed and stood up, still covering her body in Naruto's blankets. She had really developed over the past 6 years. She was 17 now and her hair had grown until her shoulders, her bangs were still longer than the rest of her hair. Her body had developed wonderfully, She grew taller, almost a few inches as tall as naruto. Her body was well shaped, too. Many Suitors from Many countries already attepted to ask her hand in marrage, but her feelings for Naruto were much much more important to her than their money...

Naruto blushed a little and looked away as Hinata slowly walked towards the nearby bathroom that was connected to the room. As soon as Naruto heard the sound of the door closing, he was deep in thought. N-naruto, get a hold of yourself! damnit! this isnt the first time you had a girl in your house! he fought with himself in his head.

Then the Bathroom door came open and Hinata walked towards Naruto, Naruto felt really dizzy around hinata, he felt like he's gonna swoon!

"N-naruto, um... thanks for letting me use this robe..."

Hinata thanked naruto and bowed giving him quite a view of her chest.

"D-dont m-mention it, H-H-Hinata-chan..."

Hinata sat down next to naruto, her heart was beating very fast as she hid glances at naruto. Naruto was having short unoticed glances at hinata too...

Man! i feel lilke kissing her! what's happenning to me dammit!

that thought was really getting into Naruto's head as he leaned over... almost ready to kiss hinata when the bedroom door opened.

"Oi Naruto! we have a mission, wa- oh..." Shikamaru looked at the two, " heh... maybe youd like me to go fetch Kakashi-senpai so he could watch?".

"feh, shadup..." Naruto angryly snapped at Shikamaru as he stomped towards the door, "eh... Hinata-chan... your clothes are downstairs... i think theyre dry now..."

"Um.. Domo arigatou...N-Naruto-kun"

That was the last thing Naruto heard before he and shikamaru ran downstairs and headed for Hokage's house. On the way, Shikamaru decieded to play a joke on Naruto.

"oi naruto!"

"eh? what?" Said naruto as he ran, "what is it?"

"... you and hinata making out back there eh?..."

"wha? Making out?" naruto stopped to fight with Shikamaru,"whadahellareyatalkin'about?"

Naruto stoped and clenched both his fists, almost ready to punch Shikamaru in the face...

"you know... smooch smooch?" Shikamaru laughed as he speed up faster

"why i aoughta... I'll catch you, damnit!"

Meanwhile, Hinata Closed the door of Naruto's house and headed for the road since the clouds and rain had dissapeared and her clothes had completely dried.

Sigh... It was almost there... my first kiss... w-with naruto... but...

Her thoughts were stopped as she bumped into someone.

"oops! Gomengomengomengomen!"

Hinata got up as quickly as she could and bowed down to say sorry.

"Its okay hinata! its okay!"

Hinata looked up and she saw Ino, heading for the flowershop. They decieded to walk home together since the flowershop had moved nearer the Hyuuga mansion.

"Hinata... not to be rude or anything... but..."

Ino crossed her arms.

"what is it Ino?"

"why are you doing in Naruto's house?"

Hinata stopped and looked at the floor blushing.

"I-Its a l-long story...but...",

"hahaha," Ino laughed at the naive girl, "Typical of you hinata... dont worry, i'll know sooner or later..."

Hinata could not stop looking at how Ino had grown over the past 4 years... She had become really taller, Many could not tell that SHE is Ino... She decieded to regrow her hair but she didnt tie it anymore, She wore the same purple clothing. Hinata was surely jealous of the rest of the konoha girls...

Naruto... I hope you'll notice how deeply i love you...

Sometime later on, Naruto and Shikamaru had arrived at Hokage's House. Both were escorted by ANBUs towards his room.

"gah... what the hell is the damn mission this time?" Naruto grumpily said to shikamaru, "I hope this isnt one of his damned 'drills'..."

"nope... Hokage said that what he'll ask of US is very much important..."

Naruto Hung his arms on the back of his head.

"it'd better be..."

Shikamaru laughed at Naruto's mannerism.

"naruto..."

"what?"

"what is hinata doing in YOUR room wearing a robe, in YOUR bed?"

"gah... whatever..." Naruto answered as he opened the door of Hokage's room. The room itself was very big... big enough to house 5 people. The windows were open and the wind kept blowing the curtains.

"ah... Naruto! Shikamaru!, Sit down..."

Naruto and Shikamaru Sat down and made themselves comfortable.

Many blurry thoughts had been in Shikamaru's head,

"Hokage... what's this so-important-mission that youre gonna give us?"

"well..."

moments later, the hokage had explained the mission. Shikamaru and Naruto Sat quietly in surprise.

"What? you want us to go to Wind country just to escort someone? This is lame..." Naruto exclaimed, slamming his hand at the floor.

Hokage looked at Naruto sternly.

"yes... This is a class A mission that you HAVE to do... "

"bleah... Who's this Person we have to escort to the wind country?"

"Hyuuga Hinata..."

Naruto widened his eyes in shock.

"Eh? Hinata-chan's goin' there? what for?"

Hokage cleared his throat and continued...

"Hinata has developed great medical expertise and since the daughter of the wind country is dreadfully sick..."

"so what?"

"the Kazekage wants HER to Cure his daughter... and he wants hinata's safe arrival there"

Naruto stood up and Stomped two steps towards the door.

"Whatever... comon shikamaru... lets go get hinata..."

They both bowed to Hokage and dissapeared to work.

"good luck both of you..."

Hinata and Ino arrived at the Flowershop, all they talked about on the way was how they beacme after their loss at the chuunin exams 4 years ago.

"Hey Hinata... what rank are you in?" Ino said with great interest

"Umm... Tsunade said I had made the Medic team..."

Hinata began twiddling her fingers.

"that's good for you..."

"H-how about you Ino-chan?"

"I'm now a chuunin..." Ino smiled at Hinata,

"that's good"

They talked for a small while before the flowershop door opened,

"Ohayo Gozaimasu!" said a Pink haired Chuunin.

"Oi! Sakura-chan! Join us!" Ino offered Sakura a seat next to hinata and her, "Hows Sasuke?"

"He's Still as handsome as ever..."

"...Figures..."

Hinata looked at Sakura very carefully and observed how she had grown. Her Hair was also regrown, but she kept her hair in a braid because she finally learned that long hair CAN be a nuicanse to a mission. She Still wore her Chinese clothes though.

Sakura sat down on a chair next to hinata's.

"how are you Hinata?" Sakura asked to the navy haired girl next to her, "I havent heard of you for quite a while here..."

"um... Im o-okay... nothing new... I just have to go to Wind country for some medical work tommorrow..."

" Hinata is such a shy girl... Right ino...?"

"gah... this girl hasnt changed a bit..." Said inner sakura.

"Do you wanna know something really Cute Sakura?" Ino started as she brushed her hair with her fingers.

"eh? what's that ino...?"

Hinata stood up and Shook Ino's arm.

"No! Ino dont tell! Please...!" Hinata Pleaded with Ino, but it seems Ino has made up her mind to tease Hinata.

"psw...psw... psssw!...pssw...(Hinata came from Naruto's house this afternoon!)"

Oh no... im done for... Thought Hinata, She wasnt sure that it would be a good idea to just sit there waiting for a facial response from sakura.

Hinata gave up pleading and sat down on her chair.

"Ooh!..."

Sakura widened her eyes in great shock.

"Its true!"

"my gosh Hinata... what were you doing with that damned Kyubi bastard Naruto!" Sakura asked Hinata with some dirty thoughts wondering in her head...

"I...I... I Fainted in the rain and he just G-gave me some s-shelter... w- we did nothing else!"

Hinata was being really defensive and was obviously trying to keep her cool.

Ino and sakura smiled at each other and had the same idea...

I know what youre thinking Ino! YOU'RE ON! Inner sakura shouted to herself.

Sometimes its just plain weird how Ino and Sakura got so close to each other that they already know what the hell is the other thinking. They both looked at Hinata with an evil grin on their face, that almost seemed like they are going to plot something BIG.

"You know what Im thinking Sakura?"

Sakura just smiled in response and grabbed something from her shuriken holster,

"Here hinata, Take this..."

Hinata was really puzzled but she took the box anyway.

"what's this?"

"Its a pretty damned secret... open it when you get some privacy..."

Sakura looked at Ino and giggled a little.

"well... umm... ok... I... I really have to go now... see you... Sakura...um... Ino..." Hinata said as she slowly walked towards the door and left.

Sakura looked kinda worried.

"Ino, do you really think we're gonna get away with this?"

Ino Laughed at sakura,

"Well of course! that cocky bastard Naruto is gonna get a whack after this..." Ino said to sakura.

Suddenly the door slammed open, Naruto and shikamaru were panting... probrobly from running.

"Whatsup?" Naruto greeted them still panting,

"we need a Chuunin with us on our Mission, ino. Wanna come?" Shikamaru Said annoyingly to ino.

"I dont like that tone of your voice Shikamaru..."

Ino pinched Shilamaru's right ear.

"ow...ow...ow...ow... ok! ok! ok ino! s-stop tha- ouch!"

Shikamaru was trying to get Ino's hands off his ear...

"Sakura, wanna come too?" Naruto offered the pink haired girl in front of him.

Sakura slumped to the chair beside her.

"Nah... I have some other duties here in Konoha... and if ino's going, i have to take care of this flowershop..."

"Ok... Do you know Where the heck hinata is?"

"Hinata-chan?" Ino said to Naruto," She just left... She said she was going somewhere..."

"...Damn, Missed her..." Naruto Grubled to himself,"oh well... Ino, Shikamaru! I'll meet you at the town gate!"

Then he dashed off towards the direction hinata went.

"Well... That concludes our short convo..." Ino said to herself

"Ei, Shikamaru... do you know what hinata was doing in Naruto's house?" Sakura asked Shikamaru.

Shikamaru crossed his arms.

"... Most probrobly you know already..."

Sakura suddenly thought of something.

"... wanna play matchmaker?" Sakura suggested to the two,

Ino nodded her head.

"why not? at least this match may have a chance even without our help..."

"well... let's get to work then..."

How can I tell you? - Chapter 2 More than many thoughts.

Hinata went home and packed her things. She was sad but she had to go to wind country for work.

Someone knocked at the door.

"who is it?"

"It's Me... Hiashi..."

Hinata opened the door and went back to packing.

"Um... Otousan... I really need to go to Wind country..."

Hiashi walked up to hinata and crossed his arms.

"Hinata, I worry for you...so..."

"no need father, I have made up my mind..."

"I know... so Im entrusting you to the Jonin and the two chuunins that the hokage reccomended."

Hinata was furious.

"father! I CAN do this on my own!"

"Silence!" Snapped the angry Hiashi, "Follow my word or you'll have to go nowhere and stay at home!"

Hinata fell silent and slowly finished her packing.

"hinata, I understand youre already grown up, but still... youre my daughter and i want no harm to befall you..."

Hinata didnt answer.

"...Im going to take my leave now... take care Hinata..."

Hiashi went out of the room and closed the door.

Hinata was thinking... "I wonder who Hokage reccommended...", Hinata was surely nervous because this was supposed to be her first mission alone, but now she has to go with 3 people she doesnt even want to go with... she wants to do this Alone...

Naruto arrived at the gate first and waited for Hinata. He leaned his back on the gate and crossed his arms as he waited. "where is that hinata? I cant wait here forever..." naruto thought.

Naruto looked up and saw a shadow heading for the gate, it was hinata.

"Oi! Hinata!"

Naruto jumped and waved his arms so that hinata could notice him.

"N-naruto?"

Hinata ran as fast as she could with her knapsack.

"Naruto? what are you doing here?"

Naruto crossed his arms and smiled at hinata.

"ha... Im the jonin assigned to this mission Hinata-chan..."

Hinata Blushed a little and looked at naruto. Naruto was beginning to think that she's being her 'weird' self again. "geez, I dont know why the hell she's looking at me like that but..." Naruto's thoughts were stopped as he found himself leaning at hinata, seems HE was posing for a kiss...

"Wha? what am I DOING? what's this Im feeling anyway!"

thoughts were also wondering at hinata's head.

"this is it! Im gonna kiss naruto!"

it almost turned into a kiss, but-

"Yo Naruto!, Hinata...!" said a voice from a distance.

Naruto and hinata jumped away from each other and acted like nothing had happened.

"Oh! Shikamaru... ino... You with us?" Hinata said in her usual 'shy' tone of speaking.

"yea... were here to make sure you and naruto dont make out again..."

"We were not making out!" Hinata and Naruto said together, then they looked at each other and looked at the ground blushing a deep red.

Ino laughed at Naruto and hinata for being so naive.

"hahaha, well... shikamaru... theses two get more interesting as time goes by... dont you think so?"

Shikamaru laughed with Ino.

"hahaha... Im not surprised... Seems Sakura's plan'll work perfectly..."

Naruto gave Ino and Shikamaru a scary stare.

"What the damn are you two planning?" Naruto Shouted at them.

"Nothing interesting to you Naruto..." Ino simpered at Naruto.

Naruto angryly sunk his hands at his pockets and started to walk away.

"what are these two thinking...?" Naruto thought.

Ino and shikamaru laughed as they walked with hinata, following naruto's way.

Later on, Shikamaru, Ino, Hinata and Naruto are walking on the Kanbeki road, the fastest road to the wind country, but to reach there, they have to make a short stopover to Iwai, the festival town that is claimed by the wind country and is known for it's famous fesivals and magical charms.

"a-are we there N-naruto?" Hinata asked,

Naruto looked at Hinata,

"not yet, but we have to get to Iwai before dark. we'll make a stopover there and stay until dawn..."

Ino ran to hinata and paced herself.

"well... hinata, they said Iwai is a really nice town and there'll be a festival there in a couple of days." Ino suggessted to the navy haired girl next to her, "maybe after your mission we could go there with naruto and shikamaru?"

"umm... th-that's not a bad idea, what do you think naruto?"

Naruto hung his arms behind his head,

"whatever... but as long as their festival has free ramen and sake, im in for it..." Naruto joked at the two.

Shikamaru shook his head,

"this guy's gotta have some hole in his stomach to think of ramen all the time..."

"Shaddup! i dont need your stupid side comments" Naruto shouted at Shikamaru,

Shikamaru crossed his arms.

"well... Damn You!"

Naruto clenched his fists and veins began growing on both naruto and shikamaru's head.

"wha? then [censored]!"

"why i aougta!"

Hinata and Ino giggled at their friend's 'friendly' quarrel. This wasnt a surprize to both of them. since naruto and shikamaru became teammates, they started fighting every now and then.

"okay, enough with the fight!"

Ino punched both naruto and shikamaru in the head, giving them two big lumps on their head. Hinata was busy behind her sweatdropping

"ow... ow... ow..." Naruto compained, "gah... Shikamaru you suck..."

Naruto turned his back on shikamaru

"bleah... You suck too!"

Shikamaru did the same.

"stop it! Hinata and I are getting uncomfortable with you two!"

"whatever..." Naruto murmured as he hung his arms on the back of his head and continued his walking.

Hinata ran towards Naruto and poked him a few times in the back.

"umm... na-naruto...? are you hungry? I... I have some cup ramen you could eat..." Hinata shyly offered.

Naruto jumped up and down in happiness.

"yahoo! Ramen! ramen! ramen! gimmegimmegimme!"

Hinata sweatdropped but she gave the cup ramen anyway, then she turned to Ino and Shikamaru.

"well... Do you guys want some ramen too?"

Ino Smiled at the naive girl.

"well... do you have a seafood flavored ramen?" ino asked,

Hinata checked her knapsack.

"no... but there's some chicken flavored ramen... you want it?"

Ino took the cup ramen from hinata's hand.

"okay! thanks Hinata! anyway, do you have some hot water there?"

Hinata took a jug out of her knapsack.

"well... I guess this jug has enough hot water for all of us... How about you shikamaru?"

Shikamaru smirked at hinata.

"I'll take chicken..."

Hinata gave Shikamaru his ramen and started rationing the hot water to the hungry group, she gave ino and shikamaru the water they need, the only one left to give was naruto.

"N-naruto... you need some hot water?"

"sure... No one wants a dry ramen soup, Am i right?"

Hinata blushed and slowly poured the hot water into Naruto's cup.

"Banzai! RamenRamenRamen! all thanks to hinata-chan!" Naruto Said to hinata.

Hinata stopped pouring water and closed the lid. Naruto had already started to eat.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto said with his mouth full, "How about you? arnt you gonna eat?"

"well... there's no more ramen left anymore..."

Naruto gulped his food.

"oh, ok..."

Hinata's Stomach started to growl.

"oh... guess im hungry..."

Naruto looked at hinata blankly in her silver eyes.

"er... Wanna share my ramen?"

Hinata was surprised at Naruto's offer. Why is he offering me his ramen? I thought that was his favorite food? Hinata thought.

"I... I..."

"No need for your "I"'s... here, have some!"

Naruto gave hinata his ramen. He was looking blackly at hinata most of the time, but all he thought was that... If it was for hinata... oh well... there goes my ramen..., Hinata slowly reached for the ramen on naruto's right hand.

"D-Domo... Naruto-kun..."

When Hinata finally reached for naruto's ramen cup, she noticed her hand was touching naruto's, so she took the cup as fast as she could.

"umm... sorry..." Hinata looked at the ground.

Ino noticed that the two are finally getting along just like Sakura had planned.

"sorry to interupt but Me and shikamaru will be eating there if you need us"

Ino pointed to a nearby patch of bamboo. It was obviously far enough to stop any sound from where Hinata stood to be heard.

"ok... see ya Shikamaru!"

"yah... whatever..."

Ino and Shikamaru walked away.

"well... so... I guess it's j-just us..." Hinata said.

Naruto looked up at the sky, making sure that the blush that was covering his face was not visible to hinata.

"Y-Yeah..."

Hinata got her chopsticks and started eating. Naruto looked like he was just looking at her eating, but his eyes were looking at hinata's lips, who were sucking the noodles into her mouth. Naruto found himself staring at them, Hinata's lips... I wanna taste them... I wonder if they taste better than ramen...whoa? what the hell am i thinking? he thought, staring into Hinata's red lips as she continued eating. All his staring Made hinata look at him, noticing that he was looking deep on her face.

"Naruto...? Naruto...?"

Hinata's voice snapped naruto out of the trance he was in.

"wha! oh... Hi-Hinata... Gomen..."

Naruto blushed and tried to look away, but it was her eyes that draw his into a deep trance. but he managed to snap himself out of it.

"Naruto... are you ok?"

Hinata was getting worried.

"are you sure?"

Naruto gulped.

"I-I'm sure hinata... dont worry! just continue eating... so if you'll excuse me... i'll go away for a while to watch you- i mean I'll go away to keep a lookout... yea! that's it! so... er... see ya..."

"umm... okay..."

Naruto Jumped to the Nearest tree.

Naruto... I pray that one day you'll notice me... Hinata thought as she finished her ramen.

Naruto was up at the tree, trying to think what did happen to him when he looked at her face... He was deep in thought.

What happened to me back there? why was i looking at hinata's lips? why did i try to kiss her earlier...? what's this feeling i feel? damnit... No one could tell me what the hell im feeling... Do i love hinata? I dunno... but if I do... how will i tell her? what if... she loves someone else? what if...

Naruto's "what if"s were interupted by Shikamaru who was poking him in the shoulder for half a minute.

"Oi! Naruto! Earth to naruto!" Shikamaru shouted in Naruto's ear.

"WHATTHE! shikamaru! grr...," Naruto grumbled, "whatdoyouwant?"

Shikamaru sat beside naruto.

"nothing in particular... I just wanna know how things are with hinata..."

"She's fine... and if she isnt... its none of youre business..."

Naruto jumped down.

"anyway, we gotta walk to Iwai right now if we wanna reach there by sunset..."

Shikamaru nodded and jumped down. They found Ino and hinata cleaning up the mess they made and they placed the ramen cups on a bag and left it on the road.

Ino brushed a sweat from her brow.

"well... we're done here... shall we go now?"

Naruto started walking.

"whatever... just walk ino..."

Hinata and naruto were quite ahead of ino and shikamaru, so Ino used this chance to Plot some more.

"things are going well... eh Shikamaru...?"

Ino smiled.

"haha... yeah... the two are finally gettin' closer..."

Shikamaru laughed.

"well... when we reach iwai... we should perk things up a little."

Unknowingly, no one noticed a presence of a man standing behind a tree. The man's eyes were filled with greed and evil and would surely kill those who see them.

"Hyuuga Hinata..." said the man, "this woman will serve well as my wife... too bad Uzumaki naruto... because this woman WILL be Mine!"

How can I tell you? - Chapter 4 Where Hate and Sleep falls together.

Naruto Slammed his hand on the floor.

"What? You mean...!"

Tenma Nodded.

"Yes... Hinata must heal the princess of the wind village, and my half-sister Hana..."

Shikamaru didn't understand much so he asked again.

"wait a sec... lemme get this straight..You want Hinata to Give her life to a damned ceremony to heal this 'dying' girl? What about the people who care for her?"

Tenma looked at the window and sighed.

"we have no choice... Its fate... Hana is too important to us..."

Naruto was obviously furious.

"Dammit... but NO WAY! Shikamaru... pack our bags... I don't care if I never become Hokage mister... but I swear... I'LL NEVER LET HINATA DIE LIKE THAT!"

Someone opened the door, It was Hinata.

"naruto... no need to worry, "Hinata said and looked at tenma, "I'm going to heal his sister..."

Naruto stood up and protested,

"no youre not! Were going back to Konoha! And that's final you hear?"

"but the girl's life is at stake... I couldnt-"

"No, no, and no! That's Final! were going back to Konoha!"

Hinata stopped and looked at the ground.

"be honest with me... do you think im weak? Just because the blow that my brother gave me during the chuunin exam 4 years ago made my body frail?"

"no I didnt...!"

"you seemed so!"

"but-"

"... I hate you..."

Everyone was surprised at what hinata said, no one, not even naruto could believe that Hinata could hate anyone... Especially naruto...surely, Hinata was upset...

"hi-Hinata...but..."

Hinata didn't wait for naruto to finish, she ran out and slammed the door. Shikamaru looked at naruto.

"hmm... Naruto... maybe you shouldn't be too hard on hinata..."

Naruto fell to the floor silent. Then someone opened the door, It was ino.

"geez, what did you people do? All i know hinata came here to hear what's going on and then now i see her crying on our room... what happened Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru didnt seem happy with what happened.

"Naruto shouted at Hinata and she shouted back."

Ino was surprised.

"naruto... how could you do that? to hinata of all people...?"

Naruto didnt answer, he himself was in shock for shouting to hinata... he never hurt her... ever... now he did... he feels miserable...

Tenma looked at Naruto.

"Naruto... Maybe you should settle this with Hinata..." Tenma said as he stood up,

He headed for the door, he stopped when he reached it.,

"I'll see you all in 5:00 in the morning... go to the north-east Iwai exit and two open carrages will be waiting for you..."

Tenma Closed the door and walked away.

"so... Naruto... what now?" Shikamaru asked the quiet jonin.

Naruto sat up.

"...Im going to have a talk with Hinata... please excuse me..."

Naruto stood up, walked towards the door and left. This left shikamaru and Ino dead worried.

"Shikamaru... This isnt according to plan..." Ino said,

Shikamaru nodded and sat on his bed.

"well... I guess we should try to lay low on this 'matchmaker' thing until the dust settles with them..." Shikamaru sadly suggessted.

Ino agreed, yawned and sat down next to shikamaru.

"this... stinks..." Ino said all sleepy eyed, she drooped a little and fell asleep, placing her head on Shikamaru's shoulder, and placing her hand on his chest.

Shikamaru was surprized but he knew that Ino was sleepy.

"I-I-Ino...!"Shikamaru said blushing as he felt the warmth of Ino's hands to seep through his thin clothing.

Ino mumbled some words.

"Just... Let... me... sleep... Im so tired..."

Shikamaru was nervous, he didnt know what to do... he laid ino next to Him on his bed and Covered her with his blanket... and looked blankly looked at her sleepy face. For the first time... he looked at Ino with love in his eyes.

I-I-ino... y-youre beautiful... Is there a chance for me? But... you love sasuke... I love temari... but... w-wait a sec... do I really love you...? God please help me...

Shikamaru placed an arm over Ino and held her tight as they both fell asleep.

Naruto was looking for Hinata everywhere! he looked at her room, then at the Inn kitchens but he never checked the gardens. He reminded himself that and headed towards the gardens. There he saw Hinata training...

Hinata was thinking... "god... please help me..." She thought to herself as she punched the millenium old tree, "god... how will i tell Him now?".

Naruto hid behind a nearby tree and watched as Hinata used her byakugan.

"BYAKUGAN!" Hinata shouted to activate the byakugan.

Hinata used her gentle fists against the tree. Naruto Noticed how hard hinata trains, and realized how wrong he was to underestimate her like that... He worried about her, when he heard that Hinata may die during the ceremony, he didnt want hinata to die... did he love her? he doesnt know... but as of now, he watched her quietly in the shadows.

"Naruto! Im stronger than you think!" Hinata said between attacks on the tree.

Naruto's eyes widened, "she was thinking of me?" Naruto thought. He decieded to show up and see how well hinata goes in battle.

"oi! Hinata!"

Hinata looked towards the voice, "oh, It's you..."

"You cant train with that tree alone... wanna be my training buddy today...?" Naruto smiled at the navy haired girl.

Hinata stopped punching the tree and started to twiddle her fingers.

"umm... well... If you say so..."

Hinata bowed to naruto, Naruto did so too. Hinata reactivated her Byakugan and threw a few quick gentle fists at naruto.

"Hey! that's not bad! youre getting better than Neji!" Naruto complemented as he evaded her attacks.

Hinata smiled.

"Well... do you want me to perk it up a bit so it may be more of a challange for you?" Hinata offered.

Naruto laughed.

"heh... sure... why not?"

Hinata suddenly appeared in front of naruto and used a gentle fist on naruto. Naruto barely escaped, and he was surprised.

"heh... I was right... You are better than neji..." Naruto Smiled, "my turn...!"

Naruto Got his scroll and used his Kage bunshin technique... He made 20 clones of himself and rushed against hinata... Hinata gasped at the strength he has and looked for the real one. Suddenly, Hinata felt someone hugging her from behind... It was the real naruto. She blushed madly as Naruto kissed her cheek and said... "were friends again... right?" as he said this, the clones dissappeared

Hinata couldnt stop looking at naruto's blue eyes. (so can he with her's ;;; ).

"y-yeah... we're friends again..."

Naruto jumped up in joy.

"whoo hooo! Hinata and me are friends again! yahoooooo!"

hinata sweatdropped.

"shhh! You'll wake up the people sleeping...!"

Naruto looked at Hinata smiling.

"I dont care... what matters! Yahooo! Hinata forgives me! HEYYYYYY! Everyone! Hinata Forgives me!

Hinata sat on the floor, she was really tired.

"phew... I'm so sleepy right now..."

Naruto grimaced.

"hahaha... want me to carry you?"

Hinata Shook her head and tried to get up.

"hehe... here... lemme give you a hand... " Naruto offered, He picked her up, carried her to her room and laid her in one of the beds. He took a blanket from the other bed and placed it over hinata.

"Thank you... Naruto..." Hinata seemed to murmur in her sleep.

Naruto smiled and then he sat on the floor next to the bed and moved her hair that covers her face.

"I... think I love you..." he said before his head fell to the bed's side, giving up to his sleepy self.


	2. The Maiden Of Wind

How can I tell you? - Chapter 5 The Maiden of wind,

Sakura was walking home after watching Ino's shop, She couldnt help but worry for her comrades. "I wonder if theyre alright... " wondered Sakura.

'hah! Dont worry Sakura! that Ino'll keep Naruto's hands outta hinata for a while...' Said Inner sakura.

'geez... I gotta stop ya from showing up... its messin with my head...'

Inner sakura smirked at herself.

'oi! youre in front of Sasuke's house! getta hell in there!'

Sakura shook her head and woke herself up. The inner her was right... she was at the gate of the mansion the Uchiha's were. Ever since his family was killed by Itachi he lived there alone. She became Surprizingly Close to Sasuke after a while. They went out together with naruto, Shikamaru, lee, chouji, and Ino once a month on a picnic, and sometimes, She and Sasuke would be training partners. No one would have guessed that it was sakura who brought up Sasuke to be so open to life again.

'Maybe i could visit Sasuke...I hope he needs company...' Sakura thought to herself, 'good thing he let me have his spare key... hehehehe'

Sakura laughed evily and unlocked the gate. She came in only to see a garden, supposably once a beautiful one that had been neglected. She knocked at the front gate... but after a while... no one answered...

"sasuke...? it's me Sakura! may I came in?"

No one answered, so Sakura came to a conclusion to come inside. Sakura came across furniture that was already covered in cobwebs and has never seemed to be dusted for a long time... 'geez, Is Sasuke really this messy?' Inner sakura said. but still she wanted to help sasuke. She can imagine his pain and anger. It seemed made him feel that happiness really isnt real. After a lot of wondering and passing though a lot of rooms. There was this Shining thing on the other room that caught her eye... She came closer and saw a pendant that hung on a Silver chain.

'Its so beautiful...' Sakura thought to herself, as she saw the pendant gleam its bright luster on her eyes.

The Pendant was a diamond cut into the shape of the northern star. It had a "U" on the center for Uchiha. It was certainly beautiful as the diamond was pure and solid. Sakura was about to touch it when she heard someone stepping down from the stairs.

Sakura ran towards the door and she bumped into Sasuke.

"hey... what are you doing here...?" Asked Sasuke, who was crossing his arms.

Sakura stood up and looked away.

"hey... Sasuke!... um... I just came by to say hello... and then... er... I saw that pretty pendant on display. is it yours?"

Sasuke Shook his head and walked to the display box.

"no... It's my mother's... she gave it to me before the day she died..."

Sakura looked down.

"umm... Im sorry..."

"no need to be sorry Sakura... I earned enough of my revenge to itachi..."

Sakura went closer to sasuke.

"you know... um... I havent seen you for... q-quite a while..."

Sasuke closed his eyes.

"yeah... I know..."

'Wait a damn minute... is this really Sasuke? I gotta be dead!' said inner sakura as it punched itself on the head.

Sakura looked at sasuke.

"Sasuke... i wish you could just forget the past and enjoy the future... what happened before cannot be returned..."

Sasuke looked at her and gave a rare smile.

"Thank you sakura...I should thank you and naruto for being such good friends to me..."

Sakura shook her head.

"Its nothing Sasuke..."

"...heh... you and naruto were always there... you guys didnt leave me... unlike my brother itachi... who instead of making me happy he made me miserable... and alone"

Sakura smiled and looked at the window.

"as a friend... i'll tell you that... you shouldnt be clouded in your dark memories... you have to live up to the present and find the future... just remember that I'll be always next to you as former teammates..."

Sasuke looked at Sakura and smiled, He took the necklace from its container and he walked towards sakura slowly.

"Sakura... here... take this..."

sasuke offered his mother's necklace.

"wha..! I cant take that...! It has sendimental value to you..."

"...my mother told me once that I should give this to the person I care about the most... its you."

Sakura's heart was pounding... she didnt know why but she felt that this is it, all her waiting and patience were noticed at last. Sasuke went behind her and put the necklace on her.

"sakura... you are the light who shined for me when I was in the dark... thank you..." Sasuke gently said to Sakura.

"but..."

Sasuke covered her mouth with his fingers.

"hush...no buts...its yours..."

"...Sasu...ke... I..."

Before She could finish, she saw Sasuke leaning forward, about to kiss her. It was almost there when he saw Sakura scream in pain. Sakura fell to the ground unconcious, all sasuke could do was watch her die.

"SAKURAAA!" Sasuke cried out, " Who did this! WHOO!"

Sasuke kneeled down and held sakura's body in his hands.

"It was I...!"

Sasuke looked where the sound came from the lights were not working so the only thing he could see was the man's green glowing eyes.

"Y-you! How dare you! take her life!"

the man seemed to smirk.

"hah... foolish uchiha boy... the only thing I did was to borrow her life jewel..."

The man showed sakura's life jewel. It was shaped like a sphere, it had wind flowing from it and it was surely glowing with power. Sasuke was enraged.

"I dunno what that stupid jewel is but ...DAMN YOUUUU!"

He lunged at the man, throwing shurikens, casting ninpo techniques. but the man used the power of Sakura's life jewel to dodge the shurikens and his ninpo techniques with ease. The man held a long laugh before he dissapeared. Leaving Sasuke crying, holding Sakura's cold body.

"no... sa...kura..."

Sasuke carried Sakura to Hokage's house to find out what happened. Kakashi and Shizune thought that it seemed that Sakura, and the girl from the wind village were the victims of one man, orochimaru's heir.

Sasuke Slammed his fist on the cement floor.

"damit... i didnt save my parents before... now... I cant protect sakura!..."

Kakashi comforted his former student.

"Sasuke... youre a jonin now... you have to get hold of yourself..."

Sasuke did so and acted cool.

"now... tell me hokage... Is sakura alive...?"

Hokage nodded.

"yes she is... She's under the state of being dormant at this time... If hinata were here, she'd know the medicine to relive this."

Sasuke wasnt convinced with his answer and asked one more question.

"why sakura? why did that man take her life jewel?"

Hokage walked to the window.

"...It may regard to the legend of the 4 maidens of China..."

Kakashi and Shizune were surprised.

"you mean...!" kakashi exclaimed,

Shizune closed her eyes and explained to sasuke.

"the 4 maiden oracles of china were Hi, Kaze, Ami, and Tsuchi. they are legendary jewels said to grant immortality to anyone who brings them together."

Sasuke was confused.

"what does this have to do with sakura...?"

"It seemed that sakura, and the Kazekage's daughter were the bearers of the maidens oracles... and Orochimaru's heir found that out before we did."

there was a silence, but later it was broke by sasuke.

"Sakura's Jewel... It's the Maiden of wind... am i correct?"

Kakashi sighed, and looked at his Icha Icha mayhem (a new set of the Icha Icha set after Paradise and violence. hehehe).

"It's seemed that it is sasuke..."

Shizune looked worried.

"Hokage, we must report this to naruto and the others immediately!" shizune requested.

Sasuke Raised his Hand and stood up.

"I'll go... I'll take chouji and Neji with me..."

Hokage nodded.

"go tommorrow morning and depart for the wind village, go by carrage I'll be faster that way."

Sasuke looked at Sakura's cold and motionless body who was lieing on a side of the hokage's Strategy room which was the safest room in his house. She was supported by a lung machine, but her breaths were so faint that she almost seemed to be completely dead. Sasuke held her hand.

"I'll bring you back Sakura... I cant lose someone imortant to me again..."

Sasuke bowed to Hokage and his Fellow jonins and Left.

Hokage looked at Sakura.

"This girl has changed the Uchiha boy a lot... isnt it so kakashi?"

Kakashi didnt take his eyes away from his book.

"I know... and surely, he himself knows that as well... He's finally learned how to love..."

Shizune agreed with Kakashi and looked out of the window.

"Hinata... be safe..." she prayed to the moon and stars.

The next day, sasuke began to gather Chouji and neji, but still... It wast Sunrise yet,

Chouji thought Sasuke was crazy.

"oi! Sasuke! I don' find a reason why we should leave right now..."

Neji smirked at the fat chuunin.

"Chouji... this isnt personal... but sasuke's intuitons are right... we should leave at this hour..."

Sasuke was sure to bring more than enough food so chouji could last. He learned to get along from sakura. He couldnt bear to see her cold face again because ever since he said goodbye to Sakura, he couldnt sleep because he was having nightmares.

"okay... we're ready... lets go..."

They were about to leave when there was a sound from afar, It was Rock lee.

"Heyyyyy! I heard what happened to Sakura! Sasuke! Take me with you!"

Neji protested.

"no... That's unpractical... we already have chouji along so it's gonna take us some time to make it to wind village... if we take you along... we'll never reach Naruto in time..."

"but... Sakura! I want revenge! I want her back too!"

Sasuke punched lee in the face.

"geez, youre even weaker than I am... Longbrows,"

Lee was holding his cheek where Sasuke just punched him,

"I just wanna help out...!"

"you could help out by watching sakura for me... lee... that's what I assign you to do..."

Lee stopped crying and Started jumping.

"Yahhooooo! alright! now I can stare at Her all I want...!"

Sasuke grew a vein at his head.

"hey... no staring... NO TOUCHING! Get me? or else I might have to kill you!"

Neji and lee sweatdropped.

"heh... when did you get so compassionate Uchiha?" neji asked the raven haired jonin.

Sasuke laughed evily.

"hah... none of your business Hyuuga Neji... lets go!"

Then Sasuke, Chouji and Neji Started sprinting to the main road of the Wind country.

"Heyyyy! Sasuke! Good luck! I'll take Care of Sakura! But she's mine ya hear?" Lee shouted to Sasuke. Sasuke Stopped a moment to reply.

"YOU WISH LONGBROWS!"

Then the three ninjas sprinted as fast as the winds. Hoping that they'd reach Wind country before another victim would be taken.

**How can I tell you? - Chapter 6  
**Returning to memories of sweet ramen.

It was early dawn, and they were not even halfway yet to Wind village. Sasuke knew he was pushing himself too much, He was Tired, exhausted from running. He Punched himself in the face earlier, swearing to his comrades, neji and Chouji, that they should have taken the Carrage. But Like Naruto and Him, they knew If Orochimaru's heir were running loose like Hokage thinks he is, He could Kill Sasuke and the others inside with ease. He knew it would be better off to run in the open where they could see where exactly they were going.

"Damit... were not even near Iwai or Wind village... This's killing me!" Neji complained.

Chouji seemed to have lost some weight and was barely catching up to the two.

"Hey!... Sasuke! Why not eat! Im Huuuuungryyyy!" Chouji Said to the raven haired leader.

Sasuke stopped the group for a moment.

"we could rest... but we could not stay safe like this for long... here, chouji!"

Sasuke gave chouji the remains of his Instant ramen filled bag.

"Neji... Chouji's finished all our supplies..." Sasuke said to Neji who had slumped into the floor.

"heh... its ok... I have some Soldier pills... here take one."

Neji passed a pill to Sasuke and they both swollowed it. Moments later, their fatique faded away and their chakra seemed to have increased their stamina.

"Chouji! Youre done with those food?"

"Yeah! good grub! lets go!" Said chouji as he wiped the ramen soup remains from his mouth.

Neji looked sternly at Sasuke.

"hey... do you think it was a good Idea to let chouji have 30 bowls of instant ramen?"

"He seemed to have enjoyed gulping them all at once... after all he didnt break naruto's record of 50 yet..."

Neji let out a laugh and patted sasuke on the back.

"youre not bad at all Uchiha... that Haruno must have given you some witch medicine or somethin' "

Sasuke didnt mind Neji's joke and just started to run on the path, Neji had followed too, but Chouji? well... I might say he wasnt moving... Sasuke and neji found this out and looked back.

Neji looked at Chouji.

"hmm... I had a hunch this would happen..."

Sasuke crossed his arms.

"damn, how are we going to go to wind village with him like that?"

"hey... I can still move!" Chouji said moving his feet and arms.

Neji looked at him sternly.

"this Is bad... the sun'll be up any minute and we havent even reached halfway..." neji said.

Sasuke looked at chouji's fat face.

"hey... remember the time you and Hinata joined us in our Picnic?"

Neji tried to rememeber.

"well... I remember vaugely... All I remember was Hinata was Trying to Give Naruto her Ramen..."

Sasuke tried to look back.

- The Picnic -

It was a wonderful sunday afternoon. Naruto, Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, Chouji and even Sasuke were enjoying the day in a picnic that sakura and ino had planned again. They also Invited hinata and Neji this time, but it seemed that they will be kinda late. Sakura had brought some sandwiches, Ino had brought some curry that her mother made. Chouji had brought a sackful of food (It was for him... obviously...), Shikamaru...and Sasuke (whom sakura pushed into coming) Didnt bring anything, they had the same attitude of thinking bringing something was a bother. Naruto was Enjoying the food, when Hinata and Neji finally arrived.

"Say! Neji! Hinata!" Naruto waved to them, "How come you're late!"

Hinata became nervous.

"umm... I... I..."

Neji raised an eyebrow and decieded to help her sister talk to her all time infatuation.

"heh... She cooked ramen for you naruto..."

Hinata showed a wheelbarrow that had carried a big pot of steaming hot Ramen. Everyone could smell it's sweet aroma... however... naruto was the first attracted to it. Naruto took his bowl and passed it to hinata.

"eh.. hinata... could ya give me some?" Naruto said as he held his bowl at one hand, and his other on his head.

Hinata blushed madly and smiled as she opened the pot and poured some ramen into Naruto's Bowl.

"Yahoo! Hinata has ramen! Yay!" Naruto Cheered as he waited for his ramen.

Everyone, and even sasuke Giggled at the sight. It was so cute to everyone. They agreed that It was a miracle Naruto was too clueless to notice Hinata's obvious feelings for him.

Sakura laughed.

"heh... Hey Naruto! Dont finish all of hinata's Ramen!" she laughed.

Naruto Looked at Sakura with his 'closed eyes and lower out' face as He Took the Ramen-filled bowl from Hinata's 'near-to-shaking' hands.

"and why not?" he smirked as he sat on his place on the floor.

Ino evilly laughed.

"hahahah... Youre not Hinata's husband to grobble up all her cooking you know...hahah..."

Hinata was overhearing those as she closed the lid of her pot and sat next to sakura (facing Naruto... o), She blushed a little and tried out one of sakura's sandwiches.

Naruto snarled at sakura's comment.

"Hey... Dont fool with me while Im eating Sasuk-idiot..." He Said as he used his chopsticks to slurp the noodles into his mouth, "hey... these are better than the ramen in the Ramen shop!"

Neji smirked at Naruto.

"that's because it's her own recipe... Dobe..."

Naruto gulped down the bowl and asked for more. Shikamaru and chouji got their share of ramen from hinata and gobbled them up.

"Compared to Ino's cooking... This is godsent..." Shikamaru commented.

Ino ran behind Shikamaru and gave him a slight whack on the head. Giving him a small bump.

"ow... "

"Never comment like that Nara Shikamaru If you dont want to get killed..."

Shikamaru put his bowl down and sweatdropped.

"hey! hey! Your highness! Dont get all angry! Im sorry ok?"

Sakura and Sasuke were having time of their own too... It was a really kawaii sight when you see Sasuke letting sakura wipe his mouth dry after he drank the ramen's soup from his bowl.

"here sasuke... let me wipe you..."

"not... here sakura...!" he whispered.

"hey... Im in charge here... now I have to wipe your dirty mouth...!"

Sasuke blushed a little as he slighly push sakura away from him, thinking others may see them like that. But sakura did so anyway and wiped his mouth with her hankercheif.

Naruto was enjoying his 4th bowl. He had to eat fast if he wanted more. He was globbering up as Hinata was looking at him giggling to the sight. Hinata stopped giggling when she saw naruto stop eating.

"hey Hinata!" Naruto said to get Hinata's attention.

Hinata blushed a little and looked at naruto.

"Y-yes naruto?"

"this ramen's great! I'll have to eat at your place some time!" he playfully said to the shy Medic-to-be.

Neji Laughed at them.

"Well... umm... okay..." Hinata said to naruto as she twiddled her thumbs like she usually does.

Naruto Smiled.

"all right! free ramen at Hinata's place! horray!"

He was about to return to his food when he saw it gone from his hands. he looked to his right and saw chouji eating his ramen.

"Heyyyy! Give that back!"

It was too late... Chouji had ate Naruto's food. It made Naruto quite mad.

"Hey! That was my food!"

"You were letting it get cold! Hinata! one more please!"

Naruto stood up.

"hey! You ate mine already!"

"so?"

"The last servings are mine!"

"so what? I'll eat them for you...!"

"grrr... Why... Y-Y-You... P-P-"

Everyone stopped to watch and Sasuke and Shikamaru carried the two far from the food so they wont do what they think chouji will do.

"**PIG**!" Naruto finally said after Sasuke and Shikamaru pushed them afar.

"you call me a **PIG**?" Chouji said as he inflated himself and became a round ball. Rolling and rolling around, chasing naruto he was running. Hinata took the last two bowls and ran towards them, hoping that her plan would work so they could stop fighting.

"hey GUYS!" Hinata Shouted from a safe distance, "dont fight! Here! Take these ramen!"

as soon as Chouji and Naruto heard this, They both came to hinata all puppy eyed. Hinata gave them their bowls and smiled as she saw them eat happily.

"Hey... Hinata's not bad at this... first she found a sure cure for colds, now she found a remedy to Naruto and Chouji's Unbearable hunger..." Shikamaru laughed at the sight. Sasuke agreed with him. Meanwhile...

Naruto looked at Hinata, he seemed to have heard her stomach growl.

"Hey hinata...youre still hungry arnt ya? wanna share my ramen?" he asked.

Hinata felt her stomach growl for a while, but she denies that she is hungry.

"H-hey... I'm okay... go ahead and eat naruto..."

"suit yourself..." Naruto Smirked as he gulped his Food down.

-Back to reality-

"I got it!" Sasuke thought aloud... "hey Chouji you..."

Neji was surprized at Sasuke's Idea.

"are you Damned crazy? Chouji will-"

"that's why Im doing this Damned Idea Neji!"

All this gibberish caught Chouji's attention. "what?"

**"PIG!"  
**  
"what did you say?" Chouji asked to make sure what Sasuke said was what he thought is was.

Well... It was...

**"PIIIG!"  
**  
then Moments later, Sasuke and neji found themselves sprinting for their lives towards the wind country. Well, you gotta hand it sasuke... His idea did work...

Neji laughed as he ran and dodged some of Chouji's Small-but-deadly Bounces.

"hey.. how long do you think this will last...?"

Sasuke was too busy fixing his chakra on his feet.

"If we dont stay careful, we'd be pancakes... just run damnit.."

Chouji kept rolling.

" Horray For Fat People! " he Proudly shouted to the two as he rolled, and bounced. Following them on a really fast pace to Wind Village.

How can I tell you? - Chapter 7 Reget your words...

- 5:00

The morning sun's rays Reached its way on Ino's Eyes. She woke up, with her eyes still closed. She had a strange feeling something was warm beside her. She took up a very familiar scent, she was still too sleepy to notice whom it belonged to. It was not sooner that she felt a warm thing touch her on the back, it was a warmth that tingled her skin. She got the strengh to open her eyes at last and who did she see? She Opened her eyes wide as she saw Shikamaru whose hand had found its way on her back. For some reason, She didnt know what to do. She would have punched his face there, but something inside stopped her. But one things for sure... She never felt this feeling with Sasuke, ever... She slowly took Shikamaru's hand away from her back and sat up. She took a look and shikamaru's sleeping face and blushed. He looked so Simple still during his sleep. Ol' shikamaru, whose I.Q. was on the brink of a genius, Her bestfriend and teammate. What was he doing there next to her?

"The sun rose early today..." she quietly said as she stood up.

She didnt notice, but shikamaru had been awake for some time now.

"Ino, Youre awake, ne?" he said as he went on his 'Lazy' Position.

"What were you doing next to me when I was asleep?"

Shikamaru was surprized at her question, he was expecting a punch on the face for doing this.

"I dunno..." he said.

Ino blushed for a while then she faced away from the lazy chuunin, who was still lying on his bed. Ino, sat on the chair next to the mirror, and started to fix the morning tangles on her head. Shikamaru, on the meanwhile, was staring at her blankly as she took the tangles off her hair.

Her... hair... He thought, dazing into Her hair as It shined in the morning sun. He realized that he DID fall in love with his father's bestfriend's daughter... he stopped staring when Ino finished brushing her hair and stood up.

"hey... I-Ino... There's something I got to t-tell ya..."

Ino looked at Shikamaru with a fair smile.

"what is it?"

Shikamaru gulped. He knew what was happening to him... His heart was saying "do It!" while his mind, said "hey... if you do that... you'd be answered with a ' I love Sasuke, Not you' answer"

"I-Its nothing..."

Ino blinked in confusion,

"well... okay... um... Ja ne shika.."

Shikamaru raised a hand.

"Ja.."

Then, when ino was out of sight. He slopped down on the bed, thinking of what to do with his confused self.

Hinata had woke up moments ago. She brushed her hair and said 'Hi' to the Morning sun. She smiled as Naruto mumbled something about ramen. It was very typical of naruto...to think of things like ramen... Then something had flashed in her mind... Sakura's box! She hadnt opened it since she left Konoha... She Searched for it on her knapsack. She found it and slowly took the lid off the box... It was a Naruto doll... huh? Naruto doll? It really looked like naruto. Ah... oh yes... she remembered that sakura had learned to sew dolls from her mom. She was so excited soon after that Sakura had practically turned all her comrades into dolls.

'Heh... It does look like naruto...' She thought to herself and giggled.

Then she heard a small yawn... Naruto's awake! Hinata quickly put the doll into the box and put it into her bag.

"hey... Good morning Hinata-chan... uh... what's that?"

Hinata sweatdropped.

"Its' nothing! Its nothing! really!" she said nervously to the blonde Jonin.

" that'd better not be ramen...," Naruto mumbled as he yawned himself to the door, "hey, See you later at the gate Hinata..."

Hinata Blushed for a while...

"umm... okay...na-naruto..."

- 5:30 am

Ino, Hinata, and Shikamaru had come late, guess who's even more late...Naruto...

"Geez, Sakura warned me once about Naruto's Cocky attitude of being late...but this is stupid..." Ino said as she tapped her foot.

"hey Naruto! Why were you late? hinata said you woke up just about the same time as her, how come you got to be late?" Ino asked.

Naruto Put his Hand over his head, giving the group his 'closed-eye smile'

"hey... I had to eat some breakfast... I went to the Ramen shop to buy Ramen..."

Hinata sighed, so did shikamaru.

"Well... Youre lucky Tenma isnt here yet dobe... or else you'd get a BIG BAD report to Tsunade..." Shikamaru joked at the blonde Jonin

"hey... I ate 13 bowls of ramen... It had to take time...!"

Hinata Laughed.

"hehe.. Come on... maybe we could wait in the carrage...?"

Ino smiled.

"good idea Hinata... I dont want my Hair to get all tangled by all this wind..."

Hinata and Ino went into one of the carrages.

"Hey... Shika..."

"eh..?

"how come Tenma is late, but he was the one who said 5 o'clock?"

"dont ask me... ask him..."

Shikamaru pointed to someone who was behind Naruto. Naruto when he looked... It was tenma.

"hey... youre creepy, ya know?"

Tenma laughed.

"hey... I'm not the one who got here last..."

"so... were to take a carrage right?" Naruto asked the brown eyed man,

Tenma crossed his arms.

"no... the other one is mine... You have to come with the girls on their carrage..."

Shikamaru thought... this is so troublesome, geez.

"Oi! Shika! You comin along or what?" Naruto said as he Hung on the carrage's door.

Ino and Hinata tried to calm Naruto down.

"Hey! Baka! if this Carrage falls apart, Im gonna rip your head off!" Ino warned.

"Naruto, just come in...please?"

Naruto looked at hinata, sighed and came in.

"grr... Oooookayyyy... geez..."

Meanwhile, Tenma and Shikamaru were laughing their heads off at the sight.

"hahaha... Shikamaru... Naruto looks like he could work as a clown..."

Shikamaru looked at tenma laughing.

"hah... dont underestimate that guy... if i'd be asked... I wont even bother fighting him... He's hard-headed, that Naruto..." Shikamaru said.

Tenma laughed for a moment then stopped.

"Well... We'd better go now... go to your carrage..."

Shikamaru nodded laughingly and ran to the carrage.

Nara Shikamaru... The shadow master of Konohagure... this's lame... Someone thought,

Shikamaru went inside the carrage and closed the door, after that, they heard horses running outside...

"were... not leaving... It seems tenma went before us..." Naruto commented.

They felt the carrage move.

"hey...! we're moving!" Hinata excitingly said,

Hinata was beside Naruto (no doubt), that left Ino and Shikamaru together on the same side. They werent looking at each other at all, both of them had their eyes fixed on the windows.

"what's wrong with them?" Naruto whispered to Hinata.

Hinata looked at Naruto, slightly blushing.

"Umm... Ino and Shikamaru?"

Naruto nodded.

"yeah... they seem odd..." He said to her.

"well... It seems so... they didnt talk to each other the whole day..."

Then Shikamaru sneezed.

"excuse me..." Shikamaru appologzed.

It wasnt because Naruto and Hinata were talking about them... It was Ino's Scent... A mixed flavor of all the sweet scents of the flowers she always tended at her mother's shop. It was sweet, just like he always expected.

"Hey shika..."

Shikamaru snapped back into reality...

"Ino... what is it?"

Ino looked at shikamaru with a stern face.

"Is there something on my head I dont know?"

Shikamaru declined.

"no... I dont see anything Ino..." he said, "why?"

Ino gave him a glare.

"hmm... youve been staring at me... what's your problem, shika?" Ino asked,

Ino had been blushing with a pale pink on her cheeks. With this conversation, all Naruto and Hinata could do was watch the show...

"dunno..." he said annoyingly, then he looked on the window, "maybe It's just that i became allergic to your perfume... geez..."

Ino looked unconvinced...

"I didnt use any perfume...!"

Shikamaru raised an Eyebrow and then became silent. Hinata looked at them and sweatdropped.

"this trip will be pretty exciting... Right naruto-kun?" she said happily to Naruto, Forgetting her 'Shy' self.

Naruto looked at her Smiling face and blushed a deep color of scarlet. hey... keep your cool Naruto... This isnt the first time you saw Hinata smile...! his thoughts were stopped when he felt a presence...

"There's someone with us..."

Shikamaru felt it too and looked seriously at naruto,

"probrobly sand-nins..." Shikamaru said.

"STOP THE CARRAGE!" Naruto ordered the driver, "STOP THE CARRAGE DAMMIT!"

The carrage's driver did stop, and then Naruto and Shikamaru Burst out of the door.

"Hinata... stay here... Ino, Guard her!" Shikamaru said.

"okay!" Ino said as she grabbed some shurikens and put herself in a defence- like position, "Dont worry, Hinata... we'll be okay..."

Naruto and Shikamaru was feeling the presence come closer and closer. It was surely sand-nins... Naruto's attention was put on the south (where they came from), where he saw shadows, three basically...

"Do you see that Shika?"

Shikamaru agreed.

"I recognize the scarlet haired boy anyday..."

It was Gaara, his puppeteer brother, and Temari.

"Oi! GAARAAAAAAAAA!"

"hey... Gaara, look... Its the noisy Konoha ninja again..." temari said to gaara

Gaara looked.

"it is the noisy boy... and look... he brought the shadow-controlling guy with him..." the pupetteer boy said

"It doest matter... we have to go to wind country..."

Temari raised an eyebrow,

"hey... we can hitch a ride with them, " She said pointing to Naruto's carrage, "It seems theyre going our way... what do you say gaara?"

gaara looked at temari, and walked towards Naruto's group

"hmph... lets go..."

Gaara was quite far from temari and her other brother, when she decieded to sidecomment like always.

"that gaara can be a pain... but I gotta hand it to him... he'll soften up once ya beat him..."

The puppeteer boy agreed.

"I know, that bastard helped a lot in contolling gaara's temper..."

Gaara looked at them...

"Hey... You people coming? or I'll ask the sand to bring you here instead..."

Temari smiled

"yea.. okay gaara..." she said as they ran towards Naruto's carrage group.

"hey, gaara... long time no see eh?" naruto greeted as he offered to shake his hands.

Gaara looked sternly at Naruto and his (what he calls) 'pathetic' group.

"I dont shake hands with the man I call my rival..."

Naruto took his hands down.

"heh... youre more like the old sasuke than the old gaara now... hehehe"

Temari and Shikamaru were having a fair share of greetings too.

"Hey Shika... How are ya?" Temari said.

Shikamaru blushed a little and looked away.

"things okay..."

"I was expecting that..." she laughed.

Meanwhile, on the Carrage, Hinata was busy Pinning Ino inside. Ino wants to Kill temari as usual for being such a jerk (because she's taking Shika away from her... thats why... :;;).

THAT TEMARI'S GONNA GET IT IF SHE SAYS ANOTHER WORD TO SHIKA- hey... what the hell am I saying? Ino thought as she flushed and put her palms on her cheeks, hiding her extremely red face. Hinata only giggled at how Ino reacted to herself...

"hinata... could I ask you something?"

Hinata looked at Ino, smiling.

"yes, I-Ino-chan?"

"I-I-If you found out that Naruto loved someone else... what would you do?"

Hinata thought for a while.

"well, I love him so much that if he loved someone else, I'll just accept it if it makes him happy..."

"oh... okay... thanks Hinata..."

Hinata just smiled and jumped out off the carrage. Then Ino Sat down on the sidechairs, Thinking...

I... I... I... I Love you Shikamaru... I cant tell you... You said once to me that you have an interest in temari... I think Hinata is right... I'd rather...j-just... l-let...Yo-you... go...

Then she noticed, tears. She was crying.

"so Shikamaru... where are you guys going?" Temari asked.

Shikamaru crossed his arms.

"to Wind village, we have a mission there...why?"

Temari giggled loudly,

"heh... just our luck... we're goin to Wind village ourselves, can we hitch a ride?"

Temari slapped her hands together.

"Hey... Dobe!" Shikamaru said to get Naruto's attention.

Naruto did get his attention.

"Oi... Shika! what?" the blonde asked as he rubbed his head.

Shikarmaru crossed his arms again.

"they're goin to Wind village... wanna let them hitch a ride?"

"yah... sure... the more the merrier!" Naruto gleefully said to Shikamaru.

However hinata noticed a problem...

"N-Naruto... we have a problem..."

Naruto looked at hinata.

"Eh? what problem?"

"the driver... he's gone..."

Shikamaru ran there to see.

"geez... He ran on us... now what? Neither one of us knows how to handle a horse..." he said as he slopped down to the floor.

the puppeteer boy smiled.

"hah... leave that to me... I Know how to handle em..."

Temari looked worried after that remark.

"oh no... He's gonna give me the shivers again... his driving is like hell..."

"bleah... comeon... we gotta get to wind village..."

The nins went in one by one. Gaara sat at the top of the carrage, he wanted to be outside, not hearing any possible laughter, while the puppeteer boy was driving. Temari sat on the edge of one side next to Shikamaru, Shikamaru had stayed next to Ino for one reason... Naruto and Hinata's other space was where their bags were...

"Hey tem..." naruto started,

temari looked at naruto.

"what is it...? uh... naruto?"

"I just wanna ask how come you want to get to Wind village too."

Temari held a grin.

"heh... we ran away from Suna... It stinks..."

Shikamaru looked at Temari.

"That's why all of you dont wear your Kunai anymore..." He said.

"yeah... theyve been recently treating gaara like he wasnt even part- human...which was worse than before... we count take it, so we left..."

Naruto put his thumb and pointer finger on his chin.

"so thats why..."

Shikamaru then looked at Ino, he saw her blue eyes surrounded by nothing but red. was she crying?

"Hey Ino... what's with you? youre eyes are all red..." Shikamaru said pointing her eyes.

Ino wiped some tears off her.

"I-It's nothing shikamaru... just leave me alone..." she said to Shikamaru,

_what Did I do? I did nothing... right?_ Shikamaru thought to himself.

Then the carrage continued to be 'crazily driven' (in temari's words) by the puppeteer boy, as it ran on it fastest towards wind village.

How can I tell you? - Chapter 8  
Poor ol' Shikamaru...

Naruto and Gaara's group had arrived at Wind village. Tenma had given them some time to rest for the moment since he had to talk first to the Kazekage about the nin's arrival. Since gaara and his siblings dont have much money yet, they decieded to stay for the moment with Naruto's group in the cottage Tenma had assigned them.

They were in the bedroom, and Naruto was enjoyong himself.

"whee!" he said as he jumped on the feather-soft bed, "NOW THIS IS THE LIFE!"

Hinata tried to calm the hyper ninja down,

"N-naruto... maybe it'd be a good idea if I just gave you ramen?"

Naruto jumped one last leap before he jumped down to hinata.

"R-Ramen?, " he asked while what seemed like tears (in a funny way) flowing from his eyes, "raaaamen... what joy...! Gaara want some too?"

Gaara was glaring at naruto, he couldnt find anything enjoyable with something called 'joy'

"hmph..."

-  
Ino on the meanwhile, was on the roof. She wanted her time alone. She couldnt face shikamaru anymore, all she wanted to do right now was forget that she loved him more than a teammate.

"Shika...maru... do... you... still... like temari more... than.. me? " she asked herself aloud as she shed her tears, she couldnt conseal them in her heart any longer.

"no... I must tell him... I cant stand the weight of it anymore..." she said as she wiped the tears off her face and slowly climbed down the roof.

Shikamaru, on the other hand, was enjoying the freshly dried meadow beside the Cottage. He was enjoying the grass and the wind and the shade of the tree when he suddenly get reminded of ino when he saw the clear blue skies that also reminded him of her eyes. He became troubled for a while remembering how he saw them all red and teary.

"why are you keeping your feelings to yourself? Im your friend remember?" he thought aloud,

Shikamaru placed his arms on his head, and crossed his legs as he lay on the soft grass.

"Why is it that you cant stand seeing me ever since temari and her siblings came?"

He raised a fist on the sky,

"are you...jealous?"

He shook his head.

"no it cant be... she'll never love me... she's too infatuated with that Sasuke... what's with him that's so special?"

He let his fist fall to the ground, trying to control his emotions.

"im a genius... i was the first to become chuunin than all of them... What's with that damn sasuke that I havent got? oh yeah right... his looks..."

He closed his eyes and opened them again when he felt the wind whisper on his ear.

"hah... nevermind Ino... Temari's the one I like... or do I?"

He looked at the tree.

"Temari... Ino... who do i really like?"

He held a laugh.

"hah... Okay, lets see, hmm... whoever comes looking for me is who i wanna go with in life...okay?" he said to himself, he didnt expect that what he said did come true.

But it wasnt ino, It was Temari...

"Hey shika... what's up?" She said as she sat down next to Shikamaru.

_so Temari is the one? well... okay,_ he said to himself

"nah...its nothin..."

Temari looked away.

"hey... so this is what you do to relax... that's good..."

Shikamaru, on the other hand, while Temari was looking around, was busing his mind on what to say... maybe it was time he gave admittance a shot...

Shikamaru sat up and looked at temari,

"Hey ... Te...Temari..!"

temari looked at him, confused.

"Yeah?"

Shikamaru gulped,

"I... I..."

Temari Raised an eyebrow

"hmmm?"

"I...I Like you... a lot! I love you and...I..."

Temari just laughed at those words.

"ha... You dont... dont fool yourself..."

Shikamaru didnt listen.

"I love you temari... And I can prove it!"

"now how are ya gonna do that?"

Temari sat there in surprise when she noticed Shikamaru had went closer to her and leaned to kiss her, Shikamaru didnt realize who had seen them doing this... Ino.

Ino fell to the ground in tears at what she saw...

_I... I... I really... dont have a chance... do I?_

She stood up and ran towards the cottage in tears, went to her room and locked the door shut.

Temari looked away just in time, Shikamaru had only kissed her in the cheek. She noticed another presence with them earlier, and she knew who that was.

"Shikamaru... I know what your true feelings are... You dont really love me..."

Shikamaru looked at her in confusion.

"how can you say that when I almost kissed you?"

Temari just laughed.

"hey... I have two brothers, I can tell if a boy is telling the truth or is hiding it... and youre hiding the truth."

Shikamaru fell silent.

"Heh... Maybe youre right... you like me, " temari started again this time making it clearer, "but you dont love me because there's someone else clouding your thoughts..."

Shikamaru looked at the sky.

"and who would that be?"

Temari stood up smiling.

"heh... youre even more naive than I thought... the long-haired blonde... what was her name again? Ya.. Yamanaka... who?" she said trying to remember a name.

Shikamaru looked at a tulip that was next to him, flowing freely on the wind.

"Yamanaka Ino..."

Temari clapped her hand together

"ah! yes! Yamanaka Ino! You seem to like her, and I think there's something more for the both of you..."

"she likes That Uchiha boy more than me... Its impossible..."

Temari grinned.

"hey... you know... even if you have all the smarts in the world, You cant expect your head to be right all the time... sometimes you have to listen to your heart and set your wits aside..."

Then It hit Shikamaru like an arrow through his heart. She was right. He did love ino...

"hah... maybe youre right Temari... Thanks..." Shikamaru thanked Temari.

Temari put her Hands on her waist,

"hah... no prob... me and my siblings had enough killing, we wanna treat you folks as friends... since you have been doing so for us... If you need any help with Ino.. I'll be glad to help out... so see ya!" she said as she walked away, raising a hand to Shikamaru to say goodbye.

"yeah... see ya..."

Meanwhile, Hinata had practically begged Ino into helping her prepare the needed Ingredients for her 'Special' Ramen that she'll serve for lunch. Temari also helped out. Ino had been assigned to Chopping the ingredients.

"Temari... could you hand over the Garlic?" Hinata asked to the girl beside her.

"here... Hey Ino! we need the Onions now..." Temari said as she passed the garlic to the navy-haired girl.

But It seemed the onions didnt help with Ino's depressed self.

_Shikamaru... geez.. I... cant... stop... crying... heh, Its because of the onions..._

"Earth to Ino! the onions?" Temari poked the daydreaming chuunin.

Ino snapped back into reality,

"oh im sorry... here..." Ino said as she passed the plateful of onions to temari...

Temari looked at the onions.

"hey... these arnt chopped up right... here lemme do this..."

Then she grabbed Ino's knife and Chopped it up with ease. It didnt help ino at all... It made her more depressed. Then they heard someone clap, It was shikamaru.

"hey... nice choppin' Temari..." he said.

Temari smiled as she carried the onions to hinata.

"Its nothin..."

Temari and Hinata were busy in the kitchen. Ino was left to watch... She felt useless... so helpless. She's probrobly the worst cook in all of Konohagure... Even naruto said before that when she cooks he finds it very hard to eat... None of anything she saw, or remembered did help with her feelings. She'll never be a good wife...

_Maybe I really dont deserve a genius like shikamaru... Maybe I should stop dreaming of getting married and... just... stay single... that's right! I'd have no family to tend to... and-_

Her thoughts were stopped by shikamaru, when he sat down on the chair next to her.

"H-Hey... Ino... What's up...?"

Ino didnt answer, There was gotta be something wrong with her.

"Ino... Is there a problem with you?" Shikamaru asked,

"Theres... nothing wrong with me..." Ino said, but her words did not convice Shikamaru...

Shikamaru looked at her with confusion.

"hey... are you sure? you sound like you just dont feel well..." he noted,

Ino stood up,

"THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME! Just... Leave me... alone..." she shouted to shikamaru as she banged the table with her hands and Ran away to her room again.

There was something In that moment Shikamaru didnt see before in Ino... Tears. It was the first time she cried for real. She usually just joked about crying just to tease shikamaru before, but this was different. He didnt have an Idea what was wrong with her.

Naruto Went in, Almost Bumping into Ino as she ran to the door in unnoticed tears.

"hey... what's wrong with the sasuk-idiot? she'll miss the ramen!" Naruto said to shikamaru.

Shikamaru pouted for a moment, putting his head's weight on his arm.

"Hell... Like i had an Idea of what's going on with her..."

Hinata brought the steaming pot of ramen to the table.

"It seemed earlier that she just wanted to...ummm... die..." Hinata told them, The 'die' part had made shikamaru worried. Gaara and Kankuro (Yay I got his name! thanks guys! XD ) came, and started to eat. Ino really didnt come at all...

"hey... Shika... Comeon! EAT! Hinata's ramen is great!" Naruto said to the lazy chuunin as he dug on into the hot soup.

Shikamaru just looked at his food...

"I lost my appetite... I'm going up to check on ino..."

Temari Took Shikamaru's bowl and sat it on a plate so he could hold.

"Take **that** to Ino... She must be hungry by now..." She said.

Shikamaru nodded and took the food upstairs.

"well okay... ja..."

"ja"

Shikamaru was already in front of Ino's room door. He couldnt get it open because that it was locked shut. He knocked a few times and knocked again. Something was wrong...

"hey Ino! What's wrong with you! youve been like this all day...! What's the matter?"

Then a voice shouted out, "Shut up... Just leave me alone...! Leave me alone!"

It really seemed like tears.

"Ino, I have food for you... You have to eat or else you'll get Sick...Im-"

Ino didnt give Shikamaru a chance to finish.

"DAMNIT! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE..." She shouted out loud...

_this is absolutely troublesome... geez what's wrong with her?_

"im going leave your food on the door, Ino... You hear?"

He placed the Ramen next to the door and left. He was really worried now...

_Ino... what's happening to you...?_ he thought as he slammed the door to his room shut.

How can I tell you? - Mini-Chapter (Chapter 9)  
Why me? ; Ino's thoughts

I sat there on the floor in front of the door. I couldnt walk outside, I feel awfully terrible... I feel like the thing that seperates me from Shikamaru was this Shark infested Ocean that was deep and big... I dont want to think of him anymore, yet everything I am reminds me of him. My Father was friends with his father since they were kids... I met him years before the academy, he'd usually wander off into the meadow when I ask him to play with me and sakura. He just wasnt that open to anyone, I thought that he was absolutely weird. But right now, I'm here like this... I feel like my heart's been broken into pieces and pieces and gets even more broken as time goes by.

Heh... temari, So tall. She was almost as tall as Shikamaru... I'm no match for her... Even Hinata is better than me... I cant even cook well... I feel horrable... I cant even get to sleep so I could just forget everything... I cant even use my Shintenshin Technique because I just dont see well because of my tears... Why Cant I just **Die**?

That shikamaru, Most of everything I see right now reminds me of you... why? The brownish Elbony cabinet (its 5'6") was as tall as you were, and It particuarly reminded me of your eyes... You havent changed since the Chuunin exam... And... who am I kidding... why am I reminding myself of him?

(there was a knock)

"hey Ino! What's wrong with you! youve been like this all day...! What's the matter?" he said.

It was Shikamaru... I cant take Him anymore... What I feel inside of me, wasnt hate... It was pure jealousy... my mother warned me **once**... 'If i find someone that I could love for the rest of my life, and someone else would take that man away from me... I'll feel horrable and i will be in pain..', She said that, and she was right... I am jealous...

"Shut up... Just leave me alone...! Leave me alone!" I said with tears falling from my eyes, it never seemed to end... I count even stop them from falling...

"Ino, I have food for you... You have to eat or else you'll get Sick...Im-"

I didnt let him finish... I couldnt take it anymore... That Pain Im experiencing right now is getting harder and harder to bear in time... I just cant take it anymore...

"DAMNIT! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE..." I shouted to him with tears running down my face, I couldnt stand it... Talking to him makes me feel like hell... I want to kill myself for being so stupid to fall in love with that damn Shikamaru...

"im going leave your food on the door, Ino... You hear?" he said then he left... I could hear His footsteps...walking away from me... I couldnt bear even hearing his voice. I slammed my head onto the door. I needed pain from my body to stop the pain that was inside of me... I really cant stand him or anything anymore... I punched and slapped myself, crying as hard as I can... Maybe I was right when I said to myself to just stay single when I was small... I didnt care if i'll never have a family, all I wanted was to be the best woman ninja in Konohagure... But now... I feel so vunerable and helpless... I was shivering now with pain as my legs get numb. The pain on my heart was similar to the 'Pins and needles' that seemed to throb on my poor leg...

Minutes of some mild pain passed... and the numbness completely faded away as I found the temporary strengh to stand and throw myself into the bed. Then I remembered... I didnt eat yet... My stomach was growling hard now... but I cant eat... I still feel horrable... Then Feel my eyes closing in on me... I tried opening them, but when I opened them... I was somewhere else... I was in a meadow... This was the meadow Shikamaru usually slept on when he had time when there was no missions to do. I walked around and felt someone poke me in the back...

"Hey ino...!"

"oh... Its you shikamaru..."

he kneeled down... I didnt know why, but My heart was shivering and Pounding at the same time when he held my right hand. What was he doing...?

"Please... Could you..."

Is he going to ask me to marry him? Please... Please... whoever hears me in here, Let this be what I think it is...

"could you... Be the bridesmaid... for me and temari's wedding?"

When he said those last 8 words, I felt that the world thew the whole universe at me to carry, the burden of even hearing it was heavy enough for me to kill myself in the pain...

"Ino?" he asked...

I felt tears flowing from my closed eyes, I wanted to die... now...

"Ino!" I felt somone shake me madly from behind... I opened my eyes. There saw Hinata Shaking me like crazy...

- (end of Ino's POV)-

"H-hinata...?" Ino said to her.

Hinata Sighed in relief...

"I heard some crying from your room, so I asked Shikamaru and Naruto to Slam the door open..." the white eyed Medic explained, "we found you crying in your sleep, what's wrong?"

Ino sat up and Shook her head.

"I-It was just a nightmare... I-Im sorry to make you all worry..."

Shikamaru walked closer to Ino and Hinata.

"Are you sure? Youve been like this all day long... There's gotta be something wrong with you Ino! SPEAK!" He said as he shook Ino like crazy..

Hinata stopped him, "Shikamaru... were worried for her... but I guess we should not force her to say what she feels..."

"there's nothing wrong with me Shikamaru..." Ino Said to him

Shikamaru didnt seem convinced.

"I'm... I mean...**We're** worried for you... we cant help you if you dont tell us what's wrong..." He said as he crossed his arms.

Naruto seemed to agree with him...

"hey... Ino... Shika's right... we cant help ya if you dont tell us anything..."

"Leave me alone..."

"Ino... please... tell us..." Shikamaru kneeled in front of ino like in her dream...

Not this again... I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE...

"Th-This is all your fault Shikamaru!" Ino said as she stormed out of the room crying.

Shikamaru tried to stop her, but she was too fast.

"Ino... What did I do?"

How can I tell you? - Chapter 10  
Kana, A Ninjustu master?

Shikamaru decieded to run after ino after some arguments with Hinata, temari, and Naruto. They all pushed him into running after her... he wasnt thinking of 'this is so troulblesome...' right now... he was thinking... _'what the hell is the matter with that ino?'_. He found ino on the meadow later on, crying.

"oi! ino...! whats the matter with you?" Shikamaru said to her.

Ino looked sternly at shikamaru, still with tears flowing from her eyes.

"There's NOTHING a matter with me Shikamaru... now leave me alone..."

Shikamaru sat down next to her.

"no I wont, and I wont let you get away either unless you tell me what's wrong...!" he demanded.

Ino faced away from shikamaru.

"what are you going to do? make me say it?"

"well... I can... Its midday and you have a shadow right now... I can make you do silly things all day... hahahaha" he joked,

_that shikamaru... maybe he can do so... I shouldnt give up... Even if he kissed temari, he really isnt the guy who'd... be able to reject me if i tell my feelings for him... Why was I such a crybaby earlier...?_

Ino suddenly felt comfortable again, for some reason, she wanted to say everything to shikamaru that very moment...

"Sh-Shikamaru..?"

Shikamaru looked at her.

"eh? what's wrong? wanna open up now?" he said laughingly

Ino looked up on the sky, Hiding the blush on her face.

"shikamaru... I...I..."

Shikamaru looked at her in confusion.

"heh... whats's with all those 'I's? spit it out ino.. Im listening..." Shikamaru said, for once, Interested...

"I Think I'm...in..."

For some unknown reason, he shut Ino down with his hand and hid behind a bush, It seemed ino returned to normal again (geez that was fast...Sweatdrop)

"what was that for?" Ino growled at shikamaru, who was holding her by the waist.

"shh! They'll hear us!"

"who?"

"sound-nins..." Shikamaru noted.

they didnt see much of anything for a while, but on and on they felt absolutely strong chakra...

"yes... I can feel them too..." ino said, forgetting that Shikamaru's hands were still on her waist.

"Shh... lets just watch..."

the figures from afar came closer, It was a 10-year old girl, she was fighting with the 4 other sound-nins...

"hey kid... just give us the scrolls your father gave you and we'll let you go... okay?" one of the Sound nins said.

The girl took out 7 shurikens and threw it to the Shinobi, one of them came out dead because of that attack...

"OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

"as you wish kid..."

The girl amazingly knows a technique that Naruto knew too... It was a surprise to the Sound nins as well as Ino and Shikamaru.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" The girl said after making the right seals.

Then 15 copies of the girl came out perfectly, Ino could not believe what she was seeing.

"Its a kid! fighting two shinobi? using Kage bunshin..? that's impossible.." Ino said to shikamaru.

"no kidding... that girl's got guts... fighting those Anbu like that..."

The fight continued on, for several minutes... It looked like there was only one Sound-nin left and the girl called off the clones.

"You'll never beat me..." the girl boasted.

The anbu looked angry.

"Heh... Youre going to die for what you did...!"

The two lunged at each other, almost testing their knowlegde of their use of chakra, ninjutsu and genjutsu. The girl ended up with some slight cuts, The anbu wasnt lucky to have been hit by the girl's two rusty Shuriken and a kunai down the left arm.

"...pathetic... You'll never beat me... baka..."

"geez... for a 10 year old I'd say I wont even go in battle with that kid..." Shikamaru said to ino.

But the battle wasnt over like the girl expected, there was someone else with her. she looked behind her, and SLASH!

_a-another a-a-anbu?_ The girl said as she held her right shoulder, it was severely cut buy the anbu and she just managed to jump off before the ANBU was able to slice it off.

"Y-You Unhonorable Freak!" the girl shouted in pain.

The Anbu Smiled.

"we sound nins have NO honor... we just want the scrolls... now Give it to me..."

The Anbu took a dagger and walked near the child.

"Give it to me, brat!"

- "Ino! we got to help her!" Shikamaru said as he jumped out of the bush and made him, (and the ino he was still carring) visible.

"Hey! Why dont you pick on someone your own size...?" Shikamaru blurted out to the Anbu.

"huh? and you are?"

Shikamaru put Ino down and stepped foreward, he had somewhat changed his attitude of being too lazy to do anything the past 3 years. Bring chuunin helped him a lot to become more competitive... well... to an extent that is...

"Nara... Shikamaru... and If you have a problem with that..." He said as he did some seals, "Im gonna have to toy with you for a while..."

Shikamaru's shadow suddenly went towards the anbu's shadow. The anbu wasnt lucky enough to evade this attack. Shikamaru and Ino laughed as the shadow Made the Anbu dance like some looney.

"ino... I'll take care of this baka... take care of the kid!"

Ino nodded and ran to the bleeding child.

"hey are you alright?" she asked the kid.

The Kid looked kind of dizzy.

"I...dont... feel...so... good...mom..."

Ino Raised an eyebrow... MOM?

"hey kid... Im not your mom... okay? now I have to take you to my friend so she can patch you up..." She said as she carried the girl in her arms.

"Hey! Shikamaru! Finish That guy off! we have to take this girl to hinata...!"

"well ok..." he said as he shrugged his arms.

Shikamaru took the anbu off of the kage mane no jutsu... It seemed too easy for a sound anbu to get tired this easily.

"You'll pay for this shadow boy!" The anbu said as it ran away.

"this is so troublesome... okay ino... lets go..."

Ino and Shikamaru rushed the girl to Hinata. As soon as Hinata saw her, she seemed to know what to do... the girl's wound needed cleaning and stiches.

"Naruto! Shikamaru! I need Hot water!" Hinata ordered them,

"oooooookay! you got it!" "this is so troublesome... why do i have to help carry a big pot of boiling water...?"

Hinata turned to kankuro, and Gaara.

"Gather as much towels as you can!"

"sure.." "hmph..."

"Ino! Temari... give me a hand with this!"

(Hinata's getting better and better! .)

-  
Minutes passed, Naruto and Shikamaru had brought the water, Kankuro brought the towels after he and gaara had a 'slight' brotherly fight because gaara wont get any. Ino and temari helped out hinata during the surgery... and since the patient was a girl... the boys had to wait outside. And soon, It became dark outside, it was night time.

"Do I have a feeling that 'shy' Hinata's not gonna appear for a while?" Shikamaru said as he put his arms on his head, being himself and lazing off.

Naruto nodded.

"yea... Hinata's being confident today... I wonder what's up?"

Kankuro looked at the two,

"Hey... you sure that Hyuuga girl knows what she's doing?"

Naruto looked sternly at kankuro.

"hey! dont underestimate hinata! She's the BEST medic in Konoha!"

Gaara gave Naruto a grave 'Hmph'.

"what's with the 'hmph' huh gaara?"

Gaara looked at Naruto.

"Everyone Will die... none can stop that...even your Hyuuga friend."

Naruto stood up, slightly furious.

"Hey, Hinata can make her Live! I bet my life on it!"

"you'd bet your life?"

naruto sat down on the floor.

"I believe in hinata! she can do it!"

The door opened and hinata, Ino, and temari, were now standing in front of them.

"So is the onna-okkuu all right?" Shikamaru looked at the girls.

Hinata smiled.

"she's okay... she was strong... for a child... She'll be fine."

Temari and Ino smiled as well.

"Hey... Did you know Ino was the one who saved the girl?" temari complimented,

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"yeah... She gave us a really helpful herb! I used it to make a serum to stop the bleeding." Hinata said to everyone.

Ino blushed a little.

"I always bring herbs... mom said it was essencial to any class A mission..." Ino said modestly

Temari patted her back.

"Heh... Thank your mom when you get home!"

Ino smiled at temari, her new friend.

"well... okay... thanks everyone..."

Naruto smirked at Hinata.

"well, seems like everythings okay... okay hinata, I'm going to treat you to some ramen at the Ramen shop here!"

Hinata looked at Naruto,

"th-there's a ramen shop here?" she said nervously, looking at the hyperactive ninja

Naruto grabbed her hand and led her outside.

"I havent seen a place yet that doesnt have ramen...! lets go!"

Hinata waved a goodbye to everyone before Naruto and her had exited the house.

-  
Everyone left the hallway, except Ino and Shikamaru. Temari practically pushed kankuro and gaara off of the room.

"Hey... Ino... good job..." Shikamaru complimented

Ino held a faint smile.

"Thanks...shika. Um... there's something I got to tell you..."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, 'was this it?' he thought

"well... I...," Ino started playing with her thumbs, mimicking Hinata's trademark moves, "...I..."

"I...Think... I'm... in...lo-"

She was stopped with a moaning noise that came from the girl's room. She's awake! Ino ran inside the room. The girl was trying to stand up.

Ino Rushed to help the girl.

"hey... youre not allowed to stand up yet..."

"I dont need help..."

Shikamaru came inside and looked at the girl carefully, he knew that face was familiar.

"hey... kid... tell me your name..."

The blonde Girl looked at Shikamaru, looking very annoyed.

"...I'm Kana... father, dont you remember?"

Ino burst out in laughter.

"Hey... I didnt know you had a daughter shikamaru... hehehe"

Shikamaru looked red enough to be called a 'tomato'

"HELL NO! Im not married and I didnt do what you think I did!" Shikamaru tried to convince Ino.

But ino couldnt stop laughing.

"Hey...hey... Shika! Dont get mad!" Ino said trying to keep her cool, She turned to Kana. "now kana... tell me who's your mother..."

Kana raised an eyebrow, and looked like Ino was as clueless as Shikamaru.

"Hey... mom... dont joke like that..."

Ino and Shikamaru couldnt believe it... They had a daughter? or maybe this girl just made a mistake and mistook them as her parents...

"Hey... hey!" Shikamaru said, "Im not your father... Im not married to Ino..."

"Y-yeah! W-were not married... right Shikamaru?"

The girl sat down.

"Shikamaru? Ino? that's not the name of my parents..."

Kana bowed down to them.

Well... This girl looked awfully like ino... the same hairstyle, the same eye color... Thank god Im not her father...

This kid looks a hell like Shikamaru... Look at the hair... Its the same color as his... hmm... and those facial expressions... geez... good thing Im not HER mother... geez...

"I forgot to inroduce myself properly... My name is- Hey..." the girl stood up and ran to the door, opening to reveal Temari eavesdropping.

"heh... so this kid found me out huh? Im gettin old..."

Kana looked at Temari sternly.

"wait a sec... Is this sand-nin a friend of yours okaasan?"

Temari looked at Ino with a scary look on her face, it looked kinda funny.

"o...okaasan? youre a mother Ino?"

"hell no! Im not her mother! Right?

Kana shook her head.

"yeah... sorry... I just miss my parents that's all..."

Shikamaru successfully managed to shake the blush out of his face.

"what are the names of your parents anyway?" Shikamaru said on his 'this is so troublesome' tone of speaking.

"I'm Kuritoride Kana... Successor of Kuritoride Yamanami and Kuritoride Yuurin"

Temari looked surprised.

"hey... Isnt Yamanami Kuritoride... the man who originally developed the Kage bunshin no jutsu and the Kage Mane no Jutsu...?" Temari said

Ino gasped in surprise..

"Yamanami Kuritoride? so she's responible for making the Kage Mane no jutsu that Shika's been using all these years and not the Nara family?"

Kana Nodded.

"The Naras bought it from my great great grandfather... Kuritoride Nobunaga..."

Shikamaru lay down on the floor, closing his eyes but still paying attention.

"My Father, Shikato, mentioned that name once... nobunaga-sama was a friend of my Great great great grandfather long ago... "

"so... Kana is another family friend of yours?" Temari asked the (again) lazy chuunin.

Shikamaru nodded.

"seems so..."

'the one thing** IM** thankful for... Is that Im not her father... geez... what a bunch of crap...'

Meanwhile, at the Ichiraku ramen stand (the wind village's branch), hinata and Naruto were Waiting for thier order of Miso pork ramen. It seemed that Naruto's ramen came first.

"Heeeeey! Where's the other ramen we ordered?"

The chef went near naruto and hinata and brought back the change.

"Sorry kiddo, but the Ramens all out... Remi went out to the market to buy the ingredients...it'll take quite a while because the market's on the other side of town... sorry kids..."

"well... do you want to share hinata?" Naruto asked as he passed to her a chopstick.

Hinata blushed a little and got the chopstick from his hand.

"Th-thanks...Na-naruto..." she nervously said to naruto.

Naruto ate slowly (for the first time), so that hinata could eat too. Hinata and Naruto shared a few laughs while on their 'date' (i know it isnt but still... it looks like one...). Like the last time they shared, It was also hinata's lips that got his attention again. Holy crap! what's wrong with me? Im always staring into...those... red...lips... ... gah! I gotta snap out of it...

Then a familiar shadow touched Naruto on the back.

"long time no see dobe..."

Naruto looked around to see... (guess who!)

How can I tell you? - Chapter 11  
The bad news...

"sasuke! Chouji!" Naruto greeted, "and... its you..."

Naruto looked at Neji with a raised eyebrow and he was obviously annoyed at who he saw...

"Hey... what are you doing with hinata? on a date?" neji asked,

Hinata and naruto blushed.

"Hey! I just took Hinata out for some ramen... what's wrong with that?"

"heh... nothing dobe... we just have to tell you a message from Tsunade..."

Naruto crossed his arms, completely forgetting the ramen.

"Oh... obaasan... what's up with her?"

Sasuke looked depressed.

"you tell him neji... I dont want to expain this to that dobe..."

Sasuke walked slowly out of the Ramen shop and loitered outside.

"well... It is hard for sasuke to tell... Its about sakura..."

Naruto's jaw fell open.

"What happened to sakura?"

Neji looked seriously at the two.

"this is classified... do you have a safe place to talk?"

"the Kazekage's son's cottage... we can talk there... lets go hinata..."

Hinata jumped out of the chair.

"um... okay..."

Shikamaru, Temari, and Ino found themselves asking questions about the kid. they were surprised that a 10 year old kid could know this much...

"That's devestating... isnt it... kana... to lose your parents like that..."

Kana tightened her grip.

"Orochimaru's heir Killed my parents... my father... my mother... my elder sister... my twin brother... theyre all **dead**!" kana cried out as she burst out in tears, Ino held her close and comforted her like a mother.

"hey dont cry... youre a ninja right?"

Kana paused her crying.

"yeah...so?"

"you shouldnt cry... you have to be strong for them!" Ino said to the crying girl.

Shikamaru laughed.

"you sound like youre HER mother..."

Ino punched him on the head.

"Hell no!"

Temari giggled, Ino had finally come back to her normal senses.

"Heh... you two sound like you've just married..." she joked.

Temari had plans of her own to bring Ino and Shikamaru together... she had to come up with something... if she could only use the girl... Shikamaru and Ino had stopped argueing and started an eerie silence... It Finally gotten into Ino's nerves after some time and continued interviewing Kana again.

"soooo... uh... what's your level?"

"Im a Chuunin... I can see you two are chuunin as well!"

Shikamaru coughed in surprise.

"this kid's gotta be some weirdo or something... passing the chuunin exam on your age..."

The blonde girl took something from her pocket. It was a scroll.

"I know... That's why my father entrusted me with this before he died..." Kana passed the scroll to shikamaru, and when he opened it... He was in deep shock.

"this is...!"

kana nodded, Ino grabbed the scroll from Shikamaru. She began reading the contents, she was also surprised.

"...! the scroll of eternity? isnt this one of the forbidden scrolls?"

Shikamaru sat up.

"This girls gotta be loaded... Her bag is full of scrolls of jutsus and many other things..." Temari noted as she pointed to the bag the girl had,

"Its a medicine recipie to make the user's chakra extremely powerful, so powerful... It could surpass a kage's flimsy chakra ability..."

"no wonder those sand-nins were after you... this thing could make anyone like god himeself..."

Temari nodded.

"geez... we shouldn't read it then... its something NO one should read... even the sound nins or even I..." she said.

"yeah..." Ino said as she rewrapped the scroll and passed it to kana.

Luckily for the brown-haired girl, Naruto had burst into the room before anyone elso could ask anymore questions.

"Oi! Sasuke's here! Sasuk-idiot? where are ya?"

Ino looked at the blonde ninja.

"im here... stupid..."

Naruto looked down. She and the rest were sitting down... (sweatdrop for me)

"Oi.. Sasuke... long time no see..." Shikamaru said as he raised a hand to get their attention.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"hey..."

"what are you doing here?" Ino said as she stood up.

Naruto crossed his arms.

"Hinata and I were on the ramen shop, eating... then Sasuke, Neji and Chouji came..."

too bad for my ramen...damn... Naruto sadly thought as he remembered the forgotten ramen he and hinata left on the store.

Ino stood up and Hugged chouji. She really did seem to miss him.

"Hey! Chouuuujiiiiii! How are you?" She said after she let go of chouji.

"im fine after neji and sasuke made me use my jutsu to get here..."

Everyone laughed.

"heh... naruto...!" Neji said on a serious tone.

Naruto and the rest looked at neji.

"all of us have to talk..."

"What? Sakura Died?" Ino said as she burst out in tears.

sasuke closed his eyes. Suddenly remembering every sad detail of what happened.

-(flashback)-

_she saw Sasuke leaning forward, about to kiss her. It was almost there when he saw Sakura scream in pain. Sakura fell to the ground unconcious, all sasuke could do was watch her die._

_"SAKURAAA!" Sasuke cried out, " Who did this! WHOO!"_

_Sasuke kneeled down and held sakura's body in his hands._

_"It was I...!"_

_Sasuke looked where the sound came from the lights were not working so the only thing he could see was the man's green glowing eyes._

_"Y-you! How dare you! take her life!"_

_the man seemed to smirk._

_"hah... foolish uchiha boy... the only thing I did was to borrow her life jewel..."_

_The man showed sakura's life jewel. It was shaped like a sphere, it had wind flowing from it and it was surely glowing with power. Sasuke was enraged._

_"I dunno what that stupid jewel is but ...DAMN YOUUUU!"_

_He lunged at the man, throwing shurikens, casting ninpo techniques. but the man used the power of Sakura's life jewel to dodge the shurikens and his ninpo techniques with ease. The man held a long laugh before he dissapeared. Leaving Sasuke crying, holding Sakura's cold body._

_"no... sa...kura..."_

"I swear... I'll kill that man if Sakura doesnt come back!" he said as he punched the floor. Its impact had created a slight dent on the cement floor.

"It seemed that Sakura and The kazekage's daughter are two of the maidens of china..."

Shikamaru looked intrigued.

"Hey... isnt that the legend about eternal life... so on and blah blah blah?"

"It seemed that way shikamaru... Orochimaru's heir wants eternal life..."

Kana had decieded to take this cue and make herself noticed.

"I get it now... thats why the sound-nins are after the scroll..."

"seems so Kana..." Shikamaru said to assure the girl.

Sasuke looked at the girl.

"did I miss something? or does this kid looks a hell like shikamaru and ino?"

Everybody looked at the two.

"D-dont tell me... y-y-you...err... you know what I mean!" naruto said to them in a scary tone.

Ino and Shikamaru stood up defensively,

"NO!" they both said together, punching Naruto on the face.

"ow..."

Hinata smiled for a moment and looked at the brown haired girl beside her.

"so your name is Kana? I'm Hyuuga Hinata..."

"Youre a hyuuga?"

Hinata smiled.

"well... I am... both me and my 'brother' neji..." she said pointing to neji.

"that's cool... you have the byakugan right?"

Hinata sweatdropped.

"well... I do... heheh"

Kana laughed and looked around, when she got her attention on Sasuke, she looked at him straight in the eye.

"youre a weird kid..." Sasuke said,

Kana almost poked sasuke on the right eye when whe pointed at his eye.

"you have the sharingan... cool... first the Byakugan... now the sharingan... this is soooo way awesome...!" the girl shouted, almost jumping on sasuke...

Sasuke growled for a while, and Naruto held the girl back.

"Hey hey! Kana right? you'd better stop messin with that sasuke... he's kinda grouchy..." he whispered playfully in her ear.

"oh.. okay..."

Neji cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention...

"may we get back on the main subject please?"

Everyone became quiet, the neji explained everything again.

"so... like i said earlier... Sasuke, Chouji and I have to back you two up... The hokage expects this mission to be a usual success... and he wants EVERYONE alive... tell me... is there any other ninjas with-"

Then the door opened... It was gaara and Kankuro.

"soo... we missed some action did we?" Kankuro asked his sister temari.

Temari looked at Neji.

"does that answer your question Hyuuga boy?"

Neji raised an eyebrow at the sand-nin.

"dont ever call me that ever again temari..."

"heh... sure.."

Then someone opened the door (another one? geez.. i must be running out of ideas), It was Tenma. sasuke and neji looked at him suspiciously...

"who the hell are you?" Sasuke asked, crossing his fingers.

"akazeno Tenma...I'm the one who hired nins from konoha... and you are?"

Sasuke looked at him pathetically.

"reinfocements... Hokage wants this done clean and sweet..."

"is this gonna cost me something additional?" Tenma joked.

"no..."

"well... then... okay... ehem... anyway... The kazekage will see all of you...now..."

Then everyone went out of the room, out of the cottage, and led them to the Kazekage's House...


	3. The Truth Revealed

How can I tell you? - Chapter 12 The truth revealed

naruto and the others arrived at The Kazekage's house...er.. lets say Mansion. There were rooms everywhere... If they didnt keep their eye on Tenma then They'd really get lost... Hinata looked at the blonde ninja beside her.

"umm... Na-naruto?"

Naruto looked at Hinata in confusion,

"What is it Hinata-chan?"

For some reason Hinata felt like following her instincts and she just held naruto's hand. She flushed red hot at the moment, realizing that what she did was practically a 'self-destruct' trigger. Naruto, however... was trying to comprehend what hinata did.

"H-hinata?"

"...naruto... dont let me go o-okay?"

Naruto turned scarlet.

"uh... yea... sure..."

kana giggled at the sight. Naruto and Hinata haling hands like they were and item.

"hey... Ino-san... Look at Naruto-sensei and Hinata-san... holding hands..."

Ino (and temari who was eavesdropping) raised an eyebrow.

"sensei?" Ino asked the brown haired girl,"

Everyone stopped and looked at kana with confusion, Temari was thinking...'Sensei? now this girl's gettin suspicious...'. Kana slapped herself to her senses.

"Gah! I mean... Na-Naruto-san! That's right! Naruto-san!"

Kana hugs Naruto on the back. Hinata sweatdrops at her.

"well... I guess we heard ya wrong... sorry kana..." Ino said to Kana after she let go of naruto.

Temari gives a bad glare at Kana.

'this girl... she just met Naruto and She calls him by 'san'... she's good at lying, and I better find out what she's hiding...'

"soon..."

Shikamaru looked at Temari with a confused look.

"hnnn? what 'soon'?"

"Nani mo nai! (its nothing!)"

Shikamaru hangs his arms on the back of his head and walks

"yeah...okay..."

'Mendokusee onna...' Shikamaru thought to himself in his usual 'annoyed tone'.

temari sighed, and grabbed Kana by the hand.

"hey, what are you doing to kana-chan?" Naruto asked when he saw temari practically dragging the poor girl. Temari had already put her hand over at Kana's mouth, preventing any sound fom coming through...

"uh... er... Kana and I have something to talk about... Riiiiiight?" Temari said to kana, She looked so scary... Kana had no choice but to nod.

"okay... we'll just see you later at the cottage...see ya... okay, hinata lets go?"

Hinata blushed when Naruto Looked at her.

"uh... O-okay...umm...na-naruto-kun..."

Temari dragged kana Into a room and closed the door shut, she wanted to 'interview' this 'liar'.

"okay... speak Kana..." She said crossing her arms.

kana became quite nervous,

"Wh-what are you talking about Temari?"

"Youre lying... I see how many people lie to me and my siblings at The Sand village... and what youre acting makes no difference... speak the truth..."

Kana looked defeated and sat on the floor.

"but-"

Temari sat beside her and patted her on the back.

"Dont worry... I can keep a secret If i have to... just speak the truth..."

"...but... are you sure? that you wont say anything to Shikamaru, Ino, and the rest?"

"sure I can..."

"well... dont laugh... or call me crazy... okay?"

"if its something serious, why should I laugh?"

"well... It goes like this..."

"...it goes like this... Its true.. I lied to all of you... I had to..."

Temari crossed her arms again.

"why the lying?"

"I might disturb the time-space curriculum..."

"so... that means you came from the future...?"

kana nodded.

"Yes... I came from a time exactly 10 years from now..."

"uh huh... okay... details?"

"umm... My father, Is really Nara Shikamaru..."

temari stood up in surprise,

"oooooh! so... who's the lucky girl?"

Kana looked sad.

"she was lucky... my father wasnt... It was kin... I dunno about her last name but..."

"so Ino isnt your mother?"

"no... she died... Otousan told me he loved her very much... but..."

"how?

"my father seemed so depressed about the subject so as much as I can I try not to talk to him about it..."

Temari Sat down again.

"explain why you look like Ino if you are Kin's daughter..."

"uh... Otousan wanted me to look like this... he said it'd make his really happy if i could be like the original Ino..."

'geez... Is shikamaru that much of a lover? heh...' temari thought to herself.

"oh... what about the eyes...?"

temari Pointed at Kana's 'supposeably' Blue eyes...

"oh this... Contact lenses!" kana said as she carefully took one off her eye, revealing a raven black colored eye, " see?"

"ooooh... Tell me... if you came from the future... how in kami's name did you get here?"

- (kana's story [her POV]) - It was 10 years... and 3 nights after this day... father said, Ino died while helping Naruto sensei try to get rid of Orochimaru. Neji and Chouji had Died... Ino also died for an unknown reason... Hinata-san was said to be kidnapped by Orochimaru's heir... and Naruto-sensei, You, Sasuke, and My father was the only one's who were able to survive... Konohagure was completely destroyed 4 years later... no one, except me, Kin, you, My father, and naruto escaped from that living hell...

[you said that that Uchiha survived his first battle with Orochimaru's heir... what happened to him?]

He gave himself up... It was either him, or Orochimaru will Kill Sakura's 'living soul'...

[Living soul?]

yes... according to Tsunade before she had died on the war of konohagure... (after she did some reaserch on some legends regarding life...) that in a person's body... there are two souls... the living and the Unconcious...

[I dont get it...]

Gah... mendokusee... so, I was saying.. The living soul is a soul That resides in us when we are still alive... The other one is a special soul, Its the soul that would be 'sent' to heaven when we die... Otherwise, the Eternal thing that resides in all of us...

[oh... so... what does it have to do with the maidens?]

oh lots! The maidens have two souls like any other human... however, they are capable of activating the Unconcious even when they are still alive...

[so then why did orochimaru's heir want the maiden's souls anyway?]

To take their Unconcious souls... Without two souls, a person/oracle or anyone for the matter, would be what we call... brain dead... living and dead at the same time... The maidens's special unconcious soul represents the four 'ingerdients of eternal life...' Fire, water, wind,' and lastly,' earth...'

[now tell me... what exacty happened that you just came back 10 years in time?]

one... Naruto Sensei had killed himself... due to the fact that he cant accept that Orochimaru had forced Hinata into marring him and conceive a child...

[that's sad... how about me and kin?]

Its simple... Kin killed you... Dad killed Kin because of that... since sasuke was already gone... I, myself, and Otousan were the only ones left...

[but get to the point! how the hell did you get here?]

-scene (its a script-type thingy...)-

"take this scroll kana...

Future Shikamaru gives Kana a scroll.

"what is this...?"

"Its a secret...just take it with you... open it when you arrive at your desination.."

"but where am I going!"

"youre going away for a while..."

"bu-but where father!"

"be silent... things will change kana..."

They both enter a dark room... it was lit with candles and there was a man standing in the room... It was orochimaru's heir in sasuke's body...

"oh... So the two survivors of konoha have come to their surrender...?"

Shikamaru smiled annoyingly at orochimaru

"no.. But in fact... Ive come to make a trade..."

Orochimaru (on sasuke's body) raised a eyebrow...

"ahh... and what would that be?"

"the scroll of eternity and my life... for the price of taking my daughter back in time..."

Orochimaru smiled and licked his lips

"ah... that is a good deal... give it to me..."

"no... take my daughter back to the past 11 years from now... only then I'll give you the scroll..."

Orochimaru threw a red marble at Kana and when It reaches her, It had enveloped her whole body in a red glow.

"fa-father! you couldnt!"

Orochimaru turned to Shikamaru.

"now... the scroll?"

Shikamaru passes the scroll to Orochimaru while the glow on Kana's body started to erase her from her existance at that time.

"father! no! please!"

It had seemed Shikamaru couldnt hear anything that Kana had said, The glow had already reached kana's neck when Orochimaru had opened the scroll and realized that he was tricked. He turned angryly at Shikamaru who was laughing.

"hahaha... like my joke stupid baka?"

"you... will die..." Orochimaru shouted at him as he held Shikamaru's neck and choked Him dead.

"Nooo! father...!" kana managed to shout out before she totally dissapeared.

-end of Kana's story..-

Tears had fallen in kana's lap, every single memory throdded back into her head... It was painful... First the only person she looked up to (naruto) had died, and then the last of her family had died as well...

"I... Cant... take... it..." Kana shouted as she cried on temari's shoulders. Temari couldnt help but to express a deep sympathy for the poor orphan.

"Its okay... your father had a reason... he wants you to live..."

"...and also... he wants me as much as possible... to not meet any of you..."

"why not?"

"it'd destroy the track of time... but I swore to myself... I'll change history completely!"

Temari widened her eyes in shock.

"wait a sec... completely? but youre part of the time That you wanted to change..! you'll dissapear with the time you changed!"

"...I'm going to prove I can be a ninja... I'll bring back Konoha's honor... by doing so..."

Temari couldnt say anything... It was a really nice sight to see a child with such courage... she was even willing to be erased from history just to make the world right. She patted on the back the Brown-haired girl and stood up.

"heh... I promise I wont tell anyone... in fact... I'll be your guardian while youre still alive.."

Temari gave her hand to Kana, helping her stand up.

"thanks..."

"okay... so we better check on the others... I dont wanna wait for hours in that darned cottage..."

"heh... okay temari..."

Meanwhile, with naruto and the rest... theyve been waiting for the Kazekage for about an hour and he still didnt come.

"damn! we came here early? jeez... is this any way to treat us? making us wait so long?"

Sasuke Raised an eyebrow.

"hah... its only an hour naruto..." Sasuke teased.

"but its STILL an HOUR for the love of god...!"

Hinata poked naruto at the back.

"umm... naruto... maybe you should sit down..."

Naruto gave a small sigh and sat down on the floor.

"gah... okay... but if that guy gives another hour... im gonna charge in on him...bleah."

Gaara looked at the two... 'hmph... love isnt true... its only a word invented to make a mockery out of life... you live and then you die... that's what life is...'

Then someone opened the door, It was a teenage girl wearing a green loose kimono that exposed her shoulders, (think ayumi from rurouni kenshin) and wore two pigtails that made her long light blue hair seem thicker, was carring some cups and a teapot on a golden tray.

"Hiiiiiiii! are you ninjas?"

Neji looked at the girl, "so what if we were...?"

"Im Izumi! Mizuno Izumi! Nice to meet you all!"

Shikamaru looked lazily at the girl.

"hnn...? this girl looks like she's even more hyper than naruto before he became a jonin..."

"naruto? who's he?"

Naruto stood up.

"I am..."

Izumi circled naruto, looking at every inch of him.

"hmm... you dont look like a jonin..."

Ino burst into laughter.

"hahaha! hear that naruto? next time you'd better wear your jonin vest... everyone's thinking youre still a genin...!"

"that's not funny ino..."

"well... to me it is..."

Izumi looked around, and met everyone, she saw sasuke, neji, and Shikamaru... then ino, Hinata, and kankuro... The last one she saw gave her starry eyes. She walked up to gaara.

"oh! oh! you! tell me your name!"

"gaara... gaara of the sand..."

"you... youre...cute..."

Everyone was shocked, especially sasuke and naruto who had practically choked themselves thinking everything they heard from this girl was soooo unreal...

"dont look at me like that girl..."

"and why not? youre cute enough..."

Ino sweatdropped.

"heh... seems like everybody has firsts... even gaara..."

Shikamaru laughed.

"yeah... like you had one..."

Ino punched the lazy chuunin on the head as usual.

"well... I do! and I wont tell you who!" Ino said blushing a pale pink.

gaara was having a hard time getting the girl to back off of him.

"leave me alone..."

"oh no I wont... I like you a lot!"

"I'll kill you if you dont..."

"and so? i can kill you faster than you can..."

Gaara stood up.

"Hmph... shutup... kill me if you can..."

Then before Izumi could reply... The door had opened, revealing Tenma with the kazekage...

"Izumi!" the Kazekage thundered on the blue-haired girl, "dont be rude... get off of our guest..."

"oh hell... yeah... yeah... sure..." Izumi shrugged as she sat next to Gaara.

The kazekage looked around.

"so... you are the promised Konoha ninjas? am I correct?"

Naruto looked at the old man.

"hah... yeah... and we also have some friends from suna to help..."

The kazekage raised an eyebrow.

"...hnn...? would that cost something additional?"

everyone fell flat on the floor.

"jeez... no...!" naruto shouted at the Kazekage.

"ehem... so lets talk..."

then someone opened the door... it was Temari and Kana.

"hey guys what's u- oh... sorry kazekage..." Temari said to everyone as she and Kana entered the room.

'how imprudent... typical of the ninja's from suna...' the kazekage thought.

The kazekage cleared his throat.

"okay... shall we continue?"

-  
The meeting had gone on... the Kazekage was explaining why this mission was regarded as a class A. It had something to do with orochimaru's heir... and the medicine that Hinata will give to hana...

"so... um... you mean... I have to revive... her...?" hinata asked, twiddling her fingers.

The kazekage nodded.

"yes... in anyway possible... sorcery, anything, just bring her back..."

"well... I can revive her... but... It's only temporary... and..."

Naruto slammed his fist on the floor.

"wait a sec... how come this IS a class A mission while the only thing we gotta do was take hinata-chan to wind country?"

Shikamaru decieded to butt in...

"Naruto... dont you get it? if orochimaru gets hold of hinata's special reviving medicine... we'll all be toast... since the medicine relieves the soul that the person drinks..."

"otherwise... if orochimaru gets it... he'll be able to find a way to live forever?" Neji asked

"looks like that neji..."

"its good you all understand what's at stake... we cant let Orochimaru's heir live forever if what were after is getting rid of him... all clear?" the kazekage said to the confused nin.

Naruto looked at hinata... he saw that she was extremely worried.

"hey hinata... everything will be okay... I bet my life on it..."

hinata looked at Naruto, blushed for a while and smiled.

"...thanks... naruto-kun..."

"okay... I'll be up for my nap now..." the kazekage said to everyone aloud.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

'geez... first late... then takes a nap...'

"hey shikamaru! the kazekage sounds more like ya..." naruto noted.

"hnn...? no way... people like me are never kage material..."

"that's because I'm kage material!"

Sasuke looked at Naruto with a unconvinced look.

"and when this dobe became hokage... I bet the cows would learn to fly..."

"dont underestimate me Sasuke... I'm a better Jonin, hokage, or anything that you could ever be...!"

"oh? when we get back...lets ask haruko about that... (haruko is the star pupil of Naruto's Genin group)"

"oh... and I bet Hinata believes me... right hinata?"

naruto looked at hinata with a smile, hinata blushed a while before reponding,

"uh... I believe in you naruto..."

naruto turned to Sasuke,

"see?"

'the girl's infatuated with you... it doesnt count..jeez' Shikamaru thought as he observed the dispute.

- Due to the quarrel of Sasuke and naruto, they didnt notice that tenma had left the room moments ago... not knowing what's happening to him... behind the door.

"well... that was Fun..."

Tenma touched his face.

"the MEdiCInE wILL bE MINE!"

He took his hand off his face, and the skin melted when he touched his own skin... and the gentle blue eyed tenma was only a disguise... unveiling a Green eyed man, filled with hate.

"HEH...I'LL GET ALL YOU HAVE NARUTO...AND HINATA'S ONE OF THEM..."

How can I tell you? - Chapter 13  
Gaara meets his match...

-  
Hinata opened her eyes and looked at the alarm clock next to her... It was only 2 in the morning... she didnt expect to wake up this early, she was supposed to wake up at 7 in the morning. She went out of bed and headed outside to get fresh air and look at the stars. When she arrived there... she streched out a little and laid herself on the grassy ground.

"they are so many..."

Unknowingly, she had someone there with her.

"well... you cant count em... so I guess its really that many hinata..."

It was naruto, who was almost next to hinata where she lay.

"na-naruto? what are you doing h-here at this hour?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow at hinata and went closer to her.

"I should be asking you the same question..."

Hinata rolled her read to face naruto.

"well... I woke up, and I couldnt sleep... how about you naruto?"

Naruto looked up in the sky.

"well...pretty much the same...and I was thinking of many things..."

"about what things naruto-kun?"

"I was thinking when I'll ever be Hokage... what do you think Hinata?"

Hinata looked at the stars.

"You'll be Hokage naruto... I believe in you..."

Naruto blushed a little and looked at hinata.

"heh... Im lucky I have a friend like you hinata... and you know..."

"know what naruto?"

Naruto sat up and looked at hinata with a smile.

"If Im the best Hokage that there ever was, You'll be the best Medic in all of Fire country!"

Hinata flushed red.

"o-oh... you think so?"

Naruto smiled at the navy-haired girl,

"Im not the only one who agrees about that... even your cousin neji believes in you..."

"huh?"

Naruto scratched his head.

"uh... He doesnt call you 'weak' anymore... that means something right?"

hinata sat up, still looking at the stars.

"well... I guess so..."

Naruto looked at the sky as well. There was silence for a while, somehow, when hinata slopped at the ground, Naruto wanted to stop the silence. It was getting to his nerves.

"hinata...?"

Hinata looked at naruto.

"hnn? what is it Naruto-kun?"

Naruto smiled coyly,

"has anyone called you 'cute' yet?"

Hinata shook her head.

"I dont believe anyone other than Kurenai-sensei call me that...why?"

Naruto shook himself back into his 'original' senses.

"heh... I-Its nothing Hinata-chan! Its nothing! just curious... however..."

"...?"

Naruto blushed a little and looked back at hinata,

"... I think youre cute... not that its anything mutual...but-"

Naruto's words were stopped when Hinata acted by instinct and Kissed naruto on the cheek.

"...Th-thank you...Naruto-kun..."

'wait a minute... did I do what I thought I did? did I just kissed naruto on his cheek?' Hinata thought to herself.

"uh... Hinata... I..."

"what is it Naruto?"

"...I...I..."

Hinata blushed a little, hoping that he was going to say what she always wanted him to say since the day she loved him.

"y-yes na-naruto?"

Someone moved the nearby bushes...

"I...I- Huh? what's that sound? did you hear that hinata-chan?"

_'oh no... Ive been spotted... guuuuruuruuuu...jeez, Naruto-sensei is really a great ninja...' _someone thought as it tried to get away... fast.

Then that someone was grabbed on the collar by naruto...

"kana? what are you doing up so late?" Naruto asked the brown haired girl who was in her pajamas.

Naruto let Kana go.

"uh... nothing... just woke up... its already 4 in the morning... uh... better get back to bed...im still sleepy... okay... see ya!" Kana said as she tiptoed away, escaping...

"geez... that kana's **weird**... absolutely **weird**..."

Hinata stood up, and yawned in a way that naruto thought was cute...

"well... Im getting sleepy now... um... see you later naruto-kun?"

"yeah... i'll go to sleep later... im not yet that sleepy yet..."

"umm... okay... goodnight naruto..."

Naruto raised a hand to wave a goodnight to hinata.

"uh... okay... sweet dreams hinata-chan..."

Hinata finally got into her room after leaving Naruto to himself at the nearby meadow. She wanted to stay and talk with naruto more, but since Kana had already disturbed them... she'd rather sleep.

flashback

_"... I think youre cute... "_

end of flashback

those were the 4 words that kept echoing in her head at that certain moment. Were those only words, or they had a specific meaning? She was often as clueless as Naruto sometimes. She couldnt help but daydream like some 'normal' girls do, She and Naruto would get married happily and have kids... But sometimes reality hits her too much and she just stands there looking at him train. It was Ironic how shy she was... If she could only have a way to say her feelings. Then she remembered again... Sakura's Doll. It was the Naruto doll that Sakura gave her a few days ago, before she had died... She opened her knapsack and took the Doll from the box it was in. It did look like naruto alright. Sakura would make a great wife for anyone she would marry, hinata? oh well... she was good at most everything, but unlike sakura, she still lacks in needed ninja abilities.

"Naruto... how can I tell you?" she thought aloud to herself.

She looked at the Doll more carefully, There was a note at the back.

Dearest hinata-chan...

_well... you became a medic... I heard many great stories about how you saved many ninja's lives. Hopefully You'd become one of the greatest medics in all of konoha...!_

Then she remembered Naruto's words earlier...

_"If Im the best Hokage that there ever was, You'll be the best Medic in all of Fire country!"_

It made her feel happy, that many of her friends believed in her like naruto, sakura, neji and the others. she contiued to read...

_Ive been noticing for a long time that you may 'like' that naruto... He's cocky, but I had to admit... if you do like him youre lucky... if he loves you he'll do everything for you... that's naruto!  
_  
She thought about it for a while... It was naruto alright... The same Genin, and now jonin that she fell in love with... It was his contageous courage and determination that let her get this far...

_soo... after a time of talking about this with ino... I made this Doll for you! I hope this would be okay for you..._

_Take care always,  
Haruno Sakura...  
_  
Hinata smiled, refolded the paper and looked at the doll that she had set down beside her. She now feels like the seeds of confidence that had been dormant for so many days had already grown... It was only a matter of time before a flower would grow and completely blossom. She unfolded the paper again to read it again, this time noticing the date...December 26th... guess sakura forgot to give it to her on her birthday and gave it to her 5 months later... It was May 11 today. It was only moments of reading and thinking that made her eyes very sleepy... Her eyes were already closing in on her. She laid on the queen-sized bed, pulled the blanket to cover her, and cuddled the Naruto doll as she fell asleep.

It was only seconds after hinata fell asleep when someone opened the door to her room.

"sweet dreams hinata-chan..." Naruto said to the sleeping girl, he closed the door and headed for his room... ready to take a well deserved nap.

It was 9 o' clock in the morning, Ino, Hinata, Temari, gaara, and Kankuro were already awake... They finished their breakfast when someone burst in the door.

"Hello everyone!" the blue haired girl shouted out, "hello my beloved gaara!"

Kakuro coughed.

_'geez... is this kid has gotta have problems...'_

Gaara looked at Izumi, angryer than usual.

"...Shut up girl... or I'll kill you..."

"Not if I kill you first Sand-boy..."

"I'll kill you..."

"bring it on..." the girl laughed, how good was she to challange gaara like that?

"oh no..." everyone whispered to themselves as they sipped their tea.

Izumi and Gaara decieded to battle at the pond on the meadow, Shikamaru looked annoyed with the idea because it's going to delay his daily cloudgazing...

"you'll die..." gaara said in a scary tone, Izumi thought it wasnt scary at all.

"heh... lets see...when you win, Kill me as you please... but when I win... I'll kiss you..."

"feh... get on with it girl..."

Izumi opened a jug filled with water and emptied its contents, Softening the ground with mud. Then she took out a pickaxe-like weapon, It really looked sharp enough to kill a person with one swipe.

"that wouldnt help you a bit..."

Gaara summoned the sand to assult her first, It was only a split second when the sand had already covered the girl in it.

"foolish girl..." gaara said as he was readying for his deathblow move, however... "th-this cant be...!"

Shikamaru opened his eyes at what he saw.

"He-hey...! Th-the sand's turning to mud!"

Ino and the others were also surprised,

"i cant beleive it..." Ino thought aloud with her mouth open wide.

"what's wrong gaara? Cant kill a 'stupid' girl like me?" izumi said as the mud dripped away from her... Her eyes had changed from its usual playful self to a scary look that surpassed the scaryness factor of gaara's eyes.

gaara opened his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Yo-youre the..."

"yes..."

"what is Izumi saying?" Shikamaru asked his fellow nins.

Temari looked at him.

"It seems izumi's the preistess of water..."

"preistess? what does it have to do with gaara?"

"when Gaara was little he had a 'demonic' preist sealed into him like the kyuubi with naruto... that preist had powers over the sand... and that preist had a rival... The preistess of water... and since sand and Water makes mud, and mud is the still under the element of water (because it's wet i guess...) ... that means... Izumi would use his own sand against him... "

Ino looked at the two .

"oh... so who do you think would win?"

"...Izumi..."

"Damn you..." Gaara shouted at the blue haired girl.

Izumi held a evil smile on her lips.

"heh... Like I told you before... You'll never win against me..."

Izumi ordered the mud to swallow up Gaara until his neckline and harden a bit, making him unable to move...

"now you lose... give me the part of our deal..." Izumi smiled at the red- haired boy.

Everyone gasped in shock and in misbelief then Izumi leaned over at gaara and kissed him (passionately... XD). Ino and the rest (except hinata who was sweatdropping) had their jaws opened wide. after a few moments naruto came in.

"hey... what's the matter with you guys?" Naruto asked,

Shikamaru pointed at the two, it was only a matter of time before...

"WHAAAAAAT?"

Ino covered naruto's mouth, hoping to keep him quiet for the time being.

"shut up... You'll disturb the two! they dont know that were watching... its a miracle they dont notice..."

after a bunch of sweatdrops, tons of jaw opening scenes, Izumi had stopped kissing gaara... and that kiss had lasted for about 3 minutes!

"I...dont belive it... someone actually kissed gaara?" temari thought aloud.

Kankuro sighed.

"well... at least that izumi's more powerful than gaara... geez..."

Shikamaru shook his head to get himself out of the jawopening thingy and looked at Ino.

"heh.. ino..."

Ino looked at Shikamaru, smiling.

"yeah?"

As soon as shikamaru saw ino face to face, there was no stopping him from daydreaming...

-(shikamaru's daydream)-

It was at konoha... Ino would shrug him into going to the park with him, The cherry blossoms were falling, He was holding hands with ino down the park... then... he'd kiss her.

-(end of daydream)-

Shikamaru's daydreams were stopped by ino's voice...

"heeeeey! what is it?"

"uh... nothing..."

Ino gave him a usual playful whack on the head.

"geez... if that's the reason... THEN DONT STARE AT ME LIKE THAT! its creepy you know...!"

Shikamaru heard a small 'hmph' from ino as she walked away from him.

"ow... that's what i get for acting without thinking..."

Temari looked at the future couple.

"heh... look at them hinata... dont you think Ino and Shikamaru are meant to be?" she whispered to the navy haired girl beside her.

Hinata twiddled her fingers as usual.

"yes... Ino needs someone who's going to control her temper... Shikamaru needs someone to liven him up... well.. I guess opposites attract... I guess"

"oh...? how about you and Naruto?" Temari said pointing at the unsuspecting naruto.

Hinata turned beet red and quickly shook her head.

"u-u-uh... I gu-guess... I-I-I...I"

Temari laughed.

"hah... dont worry Hinata... I get the picture..."

"you do?"

"sure I do! in fact... Hey Narutooooo!"

Naruto looked at Temari...

"huh? what's up temari?"

"hey... since hinata's going to the Kazekage's house to cure his daughter... maybe you'd like to escort her there?"

"eh?" he said, blushing a beet red, " Wh-why me only?"

Temari crossed her arms.

"hey... Youre the leader!... maybe you'ld like to... umm... listen.."

"huh?"

Temari whispered something to Naruto.

"uh... maybe I should g-go now...coming with me na-naruto?" Hinata asked naruto in her usual shy tone.

Temari looked at Naruto seriously, Naruto got her message all right...

"uh... o-okay hinata-cha-chan! Im c-coming with you..."

"o-okay..."

Hinata and Naruto were about a few paces from the Cottage. and the words temari told him in her short whisper kept echoing in his head.

-(flashback)-

_' I Know you like Hinata... You should tell her how you feel... because if you dont... you might lose her... tell her while you still have the chance... you'll never know when she's going to meet someone else...'  
_  
-(end of flashback)-

"...i might lose her...?" Naruto thought aloud

Hinata looked at Naruto.

"..what is it naruto-kun? anything wrong?"

"no-nothing! Its nothing! I was just... ah... thinking of something! yeah that's right! something!"

Hinata was worried for the jonin.

"a-are you sure?"

"yes! I'm sure! dont worry Hinata! Im okay!"

Hinata gave a sigh of relief. not realizing that she's going to bump into someone... even naruto didnt notice because he was too busy looking at hinata.

"ow... are you okay Hinata-san?" Tenma asked the Navy haired girl he bumped into.

Hinata stood up with the help of Naruto.

"I'm okay Akazeno-kun..."

tenma stood up as well...

"...heh... please! call me tenma!"

"oh.. so Tenma-kun?"

"heh... please dont be so formal to me Hinata-san...!"

Naruto looked jealous.

"feh... Tenma... what are you doing here? we're about to go to your place..."

"heh... I was about to pick you people up..."

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"oh... okaaaaay... so lets go ne?"

Tenma looked around,

"there's no one else with you Hinata?"

"no... I-It's just me and Naruto-kun..."

Tenma gave a grin and started walking with Naruto and Hinata leading them to The kazekage's house to do what they had to... heal the daughter of the Kazekage... Hana Akazeno.

How can I tell you? - Chapter 14  
My Nightmares ; SasuSaku Special

Sasuke was still in bed despite of all the gibberish that was happening outside... It seems he, neji and Chouji were exausted from thier travel too much. But unfortunately, even in his sleep, he cant stop thinking of sakura... Everything that had happened the past few nights, the past few years, had been replaying continuously like a recording...

It was the scene as almost the same when Sakura fell to the ground unconcious, and all sasuke could do was watch her die.

"SAKURAAA!" Sasuke cried out, " Who did this! WHOO!"

Sasuke kneeled down and held sakura's body in his hands.

"It was I...!"

Sasuke looked where the sound came from the lights were not working so the only thing he could see was the man's green glowing eyes.

"Y-you! How dare you! take her life!"

the man seemed to smirk.

"hah... foolish uchiha boy... the only thing I did was to borrow her life jewel..."

The man showed sakura's life jewel. It was shaped like a sphere, it had wind flowing from it and it was surely glowing with power. Sasuke was enraged.

"I dunno what that stupid jewel is but ...DAMN YOUUUU!"

He lunged at the man, throwing shurikens, casting ninpo techniques. but the man used the power of Sakura's life jewel to dodge the shurikens and his ninpo techniques with ease. The man held a long laugh before he dissapeared. Leaving Sasuke crying, holding Sakura's cold body.

"no... sa...kura..."

Sakura and the rest of the scene had disappeared in a void.

"why sakura? why did you have to die...? why did you leave me alone?" Sasuke cried out to the void of his dream.

Then a small light radiated from his hands where sakura was, It was her tears. The tears she shed for him years ago that started to thaw out the ice that had been on his heart.

"Why?"

He looked up and back down on his arms again, It was sakura long ago... her hair was short like before... She was crying on him, thankful that he came back alive thanks to the efforts of Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, and Chouji... It was the same scene that thawed out his dormant heart 4 years ago... He was sitting on his bed in the hospital... with sakura alone that night.

"Sakura? what's wrong?"

Sakura looked at Sasuke, Still in tears.

"you... you... Idiot! dont you know how worried I was for you?"

"no... worries are for the weak..." he said, obviously lying to himself when he said it...

"You dont? let me tell you mister! I dont want to lose you! I... I... was... worried...sob... that I might...sniff... never...see...sob... you... again...sob...I dont want that to happen! so what if im weak? I just wanted you back!" Sakura made her message clear even in her tears.

_'she was worried for me?'_

"I'm worried for you! I d-dont want to lose you!"

"why Sakura? even if I treat you like garbage you still worry for me?"

Sakura managed to dry some tears.

"sheesh... if we didnt worry for you, we would have left you to die! All of us worry for you! dont act as if Youre the only one on this planet who has experienced pain!"

Sasuke let her go and stood up.

"feh... you dont know how I feel! Itachi killed my-"

"Itachi Killed your parents, your clan... I know! I can Imagine your pain... but... Do you imagine the pain we, your friends, are in? and the pain...sob... i had...?" sakura said as she started to cry once again.

Sasuke opened his eyes... for once in many years, he was able to see someone who cared for him like his parents before... but he was too much on getting back on itachi that he didnt notice the good things of life... it was the moment his heart returned...

"i..i'm... sorry... sa-sakura..."

Sasuke got her a hankerchief and wiped her tears...

"I'll never do it again... I swear..." Sasuke promised the pink-haired shinobi...

"promise?"

Sasuke gave a rare smile to sakura, held her hand, and nodded slowly...

"I promise... I'll never let anybody worry for me any longer... even you sakura..."

Sakura blushed at what Sasuke did... even if his hands were cold, She loved him more than anyone else, and unlike Sasuke's fans... she had 'true' intentions... she loved him dearly.

"Sasu...ke... I.."

unfortunately... their convo was interupted by Naruto, who had slammed the door open.

"Whatsupsasuke!" Naruto said in one word...

Sasuke and Sakura jumped away from each other, hoping that Naruto wont notice a thing...

"what's up? oh sakura-chan's here! what's up?" naruto blurted out.

"nothing dobe... maybe you'd like me to show you the way out?" Sasuke said as he crossed his arms.

naruto looked at sasuke more carefully, there was a new aura around him... but unfortunately... Naruto was not that smart of a ninja to figure it out...

"hmmm... why do you even bother to give me such an offer? I thought you were a cold, heartless avenger?" Naruto said laughing, hoping to find an answer.

Sakura whacked Naruto on the head.

"You stupid naruto! why dont you pick your timing more carefully?" She said as she stomped out of the room.

"and you... dobe.. I'm already discharged... i'm leaving..."

Naruto looked at both of them...

"what's with them? I just came for a visit then... ow..." he said touching the bump on his poor head.

Sasuke looked back at the room he came from, but the door was gone... he walked on the hallway of the hospital and outside. Finding himself outside on the park... It was the first time he came with Sakura on their 'get together' picnic with the other nins... For no particular reason, he sat next to sakura...

Sakura passed some sandwiches over to Sasuke who was next to him.

"You want some? I made them myself!"

Sasuke was about to decline, but he felt his stomach rumble... and he got the message...

"uh... sure..."

He got one sandwich and got a bite... well... It was good... delicious even... it wasnt as bad as the one's that she brought along on his birthday...

"was it good?"

Sasuke took another bite.

"well... It is... you couldnt expect me to eat anything not worthwhile do you sakura?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the two.

"ehem... I was wondering sasuke... what happened to the ol' **cold** you?"

Naruto gulped more Miso pork ramen (that he bought from ichiraku ramen earlier...) down.

"yeah! Why the fast change?"

Sasuke swollowed the sandwich... (after small bites of course... )

"its none of youre business... Im eating..."

Shikamaru laughed.

"hah what a change...and I bet sakura's cooking is a ton better than ino's" he whispered to Chouji.

Ino seemed to have supersonic hearing to have heard Shikamaru, she stood up and stomped her way towards him...

"hey shikamaru!"

"hnn? what? dont tell me youre going to make me eat that?" shikamaru asked, pointing to the plate filled with Sushi...

Ino nodded,

"why not take a bite? I made it too! from scratch I mean..."

"and why the hell do you want me to eat it before sasuke?"

"because I want you to taste test for him... now eat!" she said shoving the plate closer to him.

"mou... so troublesome...damn... cant get away from this one..." he murmured as he slowly ate a piece...

It took him some chews to realize... well... it was good... for once, he believed miracles were possible... well... at least at this chance she did the recipie right for a change...

"so? how did it go?" Sakura nobly asked the chuunin.

"not bad actually, at least miracles happen..."

Ino gave him a whack on the head.

"what are you talking about...?"

"nothin... just me and my stupid mouth..." he grumbled to himself.

"its good you know! okay sasuke? want a bite?"

Sasuke was wise enough to stand up at the right time...

"uh... Kakashi-san and I are having training today.. so... er... uh... Sakura... I'd better be on my way now... see you guys later..."

Sasuke Started to walk away, when Sakura ran after him.

"oh Sasuke! Wait up! Im coming with you...!"

"okay just dont cause me any trouble..."

They walked for a while, when suddenly the whole place became void again... the only thing left was Sakura and Sasuke.

"Sakura... stay with me.."

Sakura smiled... but when Sasuke looked at her to smile back, she was slowly fading away... Upon seeing this Sasuke fell to his knees, he lost sakura again...

"why do the people I love keep on dissapearing...?"

Then a voice answered, It was seemingly familiar to Sasuke...

"S-Sa-Sakura?"

A ghostly image appeared before sasuke, it was Sakura... but her green emerald eyes had changed, it was true that her spirit was all gone... she was holding the sphere (her concious soul that the green-eyed man stole from her that caused her death...

"yes sasuke..."

"Why did you go?"

"you saw that man kill me... you shouldnt blame anyone, even yourself sasuke..."

Sasuke shed a tear, it was his first in years.

"Sakura... dont tell me youre just a dream..." he said shaking his head,

Sakura smiled at sasuke...

"Everything will be alright... be strong... be strong for me sasuke..."

"i will sakura... the man who did this to you will pay..."

Sasuke was still dreaming in his sleep, not knowing there was some people watching him slumber.

"I have changed time... and of course... there's no need for this..." a Brown haired girl said as she dropped the ashes of a scroll...

"kana... you've done your part... with Sasuke's future... you burned the Scroll of eternity... It changed his destiny, has it?" Temari asked crossing her arms

"I guess so... and now to complete the change... of course... I have to go to konoha and wake Sakura-san up... you have to stay here and guard Shikamaru, Ino, Naruto-senpai and Hinata-san..." she said as she walked out of the room.

Temari smiled.

"well.. sure thing kana... just do your job... so I'll be seeing you on may 13th?"

"so what did happen to sasuke in his sleep?"

Kana laughed a while.

"hah.. with the scroll burned down... sasuke wont be into power any longer... and that changed history... and he, himself changed history..."

"how?"

"he loves sakura-san, temari... so he gets dreams of her death. so now, all I have to do is wake the other person up and take her here before the night of may 13th and the history of the world would change just like that... take care of them for me.." Kana said

"yeah sure.. just take care of yourself kana... dont strain yourself... WE have other things to do with the other people as well..."

Kana began running towards the door.

"heh... sure... see ya Temari-chan"

"see ya" she said, as she watched her new 'partner in crime' leave.

"now what to do with Ino and Shikamaru? ...And Naruto and Hinata?" she thought as she turned her back on the door and headed for the living room.

How can I tell you? - Chapter 14  
Food for all...

Hinata, Naruto, and Tenma were already Kazekage's house... they had been there before, but the side they went to wasnt passed by on their last visit...

"geez... how big is this house?" Naruto asked, half-tired-half annoyed...

"hmm... this house actually takes me about half a day to just walk around it..."

Hinata blinked her eyes in awe... there were antiques everywhere...

"oh my... are these real ming vases?"

"oh yes! they cost me 130000 yen each... just to find one would cost me 40000 yen..."

Naruto rolled his eyes. _'hmph... what a show off...'  
_  
"is there anything wrong naruto? you seem...angry... are you?" Hinata asked... worried for 'her beloved naruto...'

Naruto shook his head, trying to take the remaining jealousy away...

"uh... n-nothing! its nothing! im o-okay hinata...!"

Tenma looked at them... he thought it was cute... but the other side of him thought it was annoying. _'Jealousy... feel it uzumaki naruto...! savor your feedom with hinata now... it wont be long before I take hinata from you..."_

Tenma noticed a glare from Naruto, and gave a smile... making sure his 'dark' side not be seen by stong jonins like Naruto and the recently added threat Sasuke...

They walked again, for what seemed to last an hour... It came to an end when tenma had stopped in front of a door and opened it in a slow manner. They came in and saw a supposeably a girl's room. And in front of them there was a bed... and a pink haired girl was lying on the bed, sleeping like an innocent child.

"so... this is Hana? your sister?" Hinata asked,

Tenma nodded,

"yes... she died for some unknown reason..."

"...like sakura." Naruto added.

"i guess so... so can I do it now?"

Tenma nodded, "go ahead Hinata-san..."

Hinata went up to the right side of the girl. She closed her eyes and signaled the boys to back off, she took something from her pockets... it was a bottle... a bottle filled with purple liquid... and threw it above her... making seals and then catching it when it came down. She poured it into the girl's mouth and started making seals again.

"what is she doing?" Tenma asked.

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"its **jinjutsu**... her specialty... she's reviving the soul of Hana..."

"oh... okay..."

Hinata stopped her seals and opened her eyes. She waited a while before a sigh of relief...

"its done..." Hinata said to them, relieved.

"okay... and now what?" Tenma asked impaitiently,

Naruto gave him a glare.

"hmph... wait... jinjutsu does not have immediate reaction..."

"okay... youre the boss..."

'so this is the potion that might make me immortal... if I have this... the scroll of eternity would be no longer needed...' the dark side of tenma thought.

Naruto looked at Hinata,

"you okay?"

"naruto... Im okay..."

"are you tired?"

"a little... but like I said, Im still okay naruto... dont worry..."

"okay..."

Naruto felt something move from the bed.

"naruto... is there anything wrong?" Hinata asked the blonde jonin

"no... im just gonna check if the girl's awake..." Naruto said as he went beside the girl.

Minutes had past again, and this time... something amazing was going to happen, the girl had started to flutter her eyes open...she was awake...

"hey! she's awake...!" Naruto shouted out, waking the sleeping hinata next to him.

Hinata and Tenma looked at the girl, who was looking at everywhere, eyeing Naruto first...

"wh-where am I?"

"your room... dont you remember hana?" Tenma asked the girl.

"I guess I remember..." she said as she stood up, "I remember you tenma- niisan but who are these two?"

"Theyre ninja's from konoha... they came here to gale village (a village that was formed just 2 years ago... it was made for the kazekage because he thought it sand village was too dangerous now) just to cure you! This is Hyuuga Hinata... your healer, and Uzumaki Naruto... her escort and...uh..."

Naruto gave Tenma an eye,

"friend... yeah...that's it.." tenma added.

Hana tried to stand up, she was looking at hinata...

"I can I walk?" she asked the pearl-eyed girl near her.

"umm... yes... you should walk right about now..." she said helping the girl up.

Tenma bowed to Hinata in respect.

"oh thank you for curing my sister...! you'll be rewarded greatly for your efforts Hinata-san"

"it was nothing...really..." Hinata insisted.

"umm... here take this as a token of my gratitiude..."

Tenma handed a small box over to hinata... there was a spiralish choker inside...

"it's the...uh... family heirloom! yeah! that's it! you can have it as payment!"

Hinata tried to decline, but Tenma had insisted she wore it right now... so she did.

"well.. it looks good on you..." Naruto commented.

hana raised an eyebrow, but came back to normal after some happy skips to the door.

"okay lets go!"

"to where?"

For some reason, the girl had looked like Sakura... it was her pink hair that gave back memories of the past shinobi...however, the only thing weird was that the girl had lost her pupils, it looked more like the byakugan eye but it still has its original red color. (Proof that she had lost her second soul but reminder : Hinata's byakugan makes a confusion that the hyuuga family doesnt have a second soul like everyone else...). They were walking home, Hana had come with Naruto and Hinata because she wanted to strech her legs... It was silence on the way, but Naruto broke it...

"so how old are you hana?"

"14... my birthday is on July 25th..."

"oh... "

Hinata looked at the girl.

"do you remember what happened to you to die like that?"

Hana tried to look back...but nothing...

"no... sorry...

They stopped in front of the gate.

"well... were here..." Naruto said opening the gates to the cottage.

While that was going on, many things were going on at the cottage as well... Ino, Shikamaru, and Temari were already having a hard time filling Chouji's newly awakened tummy...

"Choooooujiiiiiiii... " Ino stated in a childish way, "youre not near full yet are you?"

Chouji seemed to have shook his head.

"but I am Hungry... I want to eat more... Isnt there anything else to eat?"

Temari Shook her head,

"no... youve eaten everything on the storage..."

"mendokusee...now what...?" Shikamaru complained...

Ino shrugged, it was past lunchtime, half their money was with naruto, and then the cottage's food storage was depleted to zero... well all for a kilo of pork (that would never fill chouji 9 people), some garlic, onions, a dozen eggs, and some soy sauce, and a half a sack of uncooked rice... and with Hinata gone... none of them knew what to do...

"geez... there must be someone here who's good in cooking... Ino, can you cook?"

"yes Temari-chan, but-"

Shikamaru looked at Ino,

"erm... even if your cooking still stinks, we can handle a more daring approch to life..."

"dont insult me like that Shikamaru..."

"who said it was an insult...?"

"i...hey... youre tricking me are you?"

"no... why would I?"

Temari had stopped sweatdropping at Ino and Shikamaru's quarrel in time to see Naruto's group come in.

"oh! Hi! Who's the girl?"

"this is hana... the one I used jinjutsu on..." Hinata said to Temari as she sat down on a chair.

Naruto noticed Ino having another quarrel with Shikamaru as usual.

"what's their problem?"

"well... chouji ate everything... the reminants of the storage isnt enough for anyone..."

Hana jumped up and rolled her shirt's sleeves up to her shoulders.

"no prob...I Can fix something up that'd taste good..."

Temari eyed the pink haired girl.

"oh? and how are you going to do that?"

"simple!" Hana said as she dashed off to the storage, grabbing all the remnants of everything... the onions, garlic, rice, eggs, and the pork... well can she cook much with that amount of ingredients?

Neji came into the room.

"what's happening here? what's with all the noise?" he asked everyone

Hinata looked at her cousin,

"umm.. Ino-san and Shikamaru-kun are having one small fight..."

"I cant call it one small fight... Ino's practically shouting at the poor guy's ears..."

Naruto grinned.

"heh... that guy's whipped..."

"women and their whipping... we men are made to suffer arnt we?" someone asked from behind naruto and neji, it was sasuke who just woke up.

Naruto was surprised of course, only a jonin could ever surprize a jonin...

"wha? oh its you sasuke..."

"what's happening here? the noise is unbearable..."

"the usual..."

Hana on the meanwhile was already on the kitchen, cooking the rice and preparing the ingredients. She had minced the garlic and chopped the onions, sliced the pork into so small pieces and marinated it in soy sauce, the eggs were beaten and were already cooked. Hinata and Temari was observing how she cooked and I must say that they were absolutely impressed. Hana had said to them earlier that she was going to make some special Gohanozatta (Mixed rice ; invented it...not real recipie, just experimental for the story...). Hana had stirred in the onions and garlic into the oil, and when the garlic turns brown, she put the pork bits (including the soy sauce fyi). When that was cooked she stirred all the rice in and mixed it until the sauce had covered every grain of rice. The smell of the food had reached the living room and stopped Ino and Shikamaru's fight...

"what's that smell...? who's cookin?" Shikamaru asked ino,

Ino looked at shikamaru,

"i dunno, lets see... coming with us Chouji?"

Chouji held a weak expression on his face.

"cant... go... on... go... with...out... me... just bring me some food when there is already.."

'what a drama king... oh well...' Ino thought.

"okay... come on shika! Im hungry already..."

As soon as Ino had skipped her way to the kitchen, Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"oh well... Im whipped once more...jeez"

-(later at the table)

Everyone was eating happily, Naruto and Chouji were gobbling up thrice as much as everybody. Hinata, Ino and Temari were at one side of the table, chatting with Hana how she made such a dish... Kankuro was looking at how Izumi offered Gaara into feeding him. suprizingly, gaara had no choice but to accept...

"oh... comeon gaara-kuuuun... here... say aaaah..." Izumi said playfully, giving a spoonful of food to gaara.

Gaara was scared... first she beat him, then she kissed him. He didnt know what to feel at that moment... it was his first time...

"uh... no thanks..."

"but I insist! here! its good! Hana-itoko made it for us..."

Kankuro gave a small frown.

"cousin? she's your cousin?" Kankuro asked the blue-haired girl.

"yeah... her mother was originally from the village of rain where I came from... and her mother's twin sister was my mother..." she said in a matter- of-a-fact voice.

"oh... I get it..."

Shikamaru was busy eating 'normally' with Sasuke and Neji... the three of them dont have much of anything to talk about with anyone. Almost everyone was actually having a good time eating together, but Sasuke still was troubled... That Hana reminded Him of Sakura more than anything...

_'Why do I always have to be tormented by her? even if she's dead she still haunts me..."_ he said to himself.

-  
Later on the night of may 11th came... It was time for Izumi and hana to take their leave...

"Mouuuuu.. I want to be with gaara more!" Izumi said to her bodyguard who was fetching her. Her arms were wrapped around Gaara's left arm, oh boy was gaara in a fit...

Gaara rolled his eyes.

"get off..."

"say please first..."

Gaara became angry, he was about to summon the sand, but he remembered how he was, in shikamaru's terms, 'whipped' by a woman... typical... it took him almost 2 hours to get his sand back after the insident... he didnt like the feeling of being so helpless to anyone but...

"..P..Please...let go of me.." he said, Izumi let go after a while and gave gaara a small forced peck on the cheek.

"see you gaara-kunnn!" she stated as she skipped away.

Gaara gave a sigh.

"well... what now...?"

Shikamaru, who was behind him, gave him a pat on the back..

"join the club Gaara... we're all going to be whipped by women... youre not exempted..."

Then Shikamaru left Gaara, leaving gaara with thoughts to think about.

"Seems gaara had his first huh?" Ino said when she met Shikamaru as she joined him on a walk around the cottage.

Shikamaru was in his usual walking poses... his hands were dug into his pockets, and of course, the usual bored face wasnt excluded from the set.

"he was whipped, that's for sure..."

Ino looked at shikamaru, She always thought that the way he always acted was interesting... this time she thought it was actually cute to look at.

"uh... Shika... I have to tell you something..."

Shikamaru held a blush, he was already close enough to savor her sweet scent of flowers.

"hnnn?"

"uh... I... I..."

Unfortunately, Temari had stopped Ino from saying anything... what happened to her matchmaking...?

"Ino!"

Ino looked at Temari.

'oh crap... how the hell am I going to tell shika now?' she thought

"lets go to sleep now Ino... umm... unless you and Shikamaru have something to talk about..."

Ino raised her hands defensively...

"hey hey... okay I'll come with you... " she said as she walked with temari, waving a goodnight to Shikamaru as they walked.

Temari gave out a sigh... Kana had given her orders to prevent Ino from saying her feelings to shikamaru before may the 13th... May 13 was a festival day... It was when every girl wears a kimono and is tied to a boy for the whole night... She and Kana had plans of givng them a stonger push when the said 'legendary' fireflies appear near the gale river.

Shikamaru sighed and headed for the meadow, his cloudgazing was disrupted by Izumi's fight with Gaara so of couse he had to take it now or never... well... at least the stars at night were as interesting as the clouds of day...

But unknowingly to them... there was absolutely something wrong. One of them was in Orochimaru's power... She had been tranced. She was In front of a mirror... gazing at it...

"I..." A girl said as she touched the cold glass.

"i..m ... yours..."

There was surely something wrong with Hinata that night... Surely, The Choker Tenma gave her was some sort of brainwashing device...

"Tenma..." she whispered as she laid her head on the mirror...

How can I tell you? - Chapter 16  
Why I loved someone like you...

there was** absolutely** something wrong. One of group was in Orochimaru's power... She had been tranced. She was In front of a mirror... gazing at it...

"I..." A girl said as she touched the cold glass.

"i..m ... yours..."

There was surely something wrong with Hinata that night... Surely, The Choker Tenma gave her was some sort of brainwashing device...

"Tenma..." she whispered as she laid her head on the mirror...

Naruto felt something **bad **was going to happen that night... something **bad**, and usually, his intuitions were **right**... It just had to be something about Hinata. So he rushed to her room, and saw Ino and Temari along the way.

"Hey! you two, have you seen Hinata?" Naruto asked his two female comrades.

Ino thought for a while...

"try her room... She hasnt left there since lunch... I wonder what's wrong with her?"

Temari had her suspicions, but she shrugged it away, thinking it was one of the side-effects of Kana's plan to change time.

"I dunno... you should go see her Naruto..." Temari said to the worried jonin.

Naruto said something like a 'later' and ran towards Hinata's room, it wasnt far. But the locked door gave him quite a problem... how the hell can he go in?

"Damn... cant come in..." He said, knocking on the door, "hey... Hinata... are you in there?"

There was no answer.

"Hinata?"

"Hinata?"

He knocked on the door like crazy, he felt like he was going to worry to death...

"Hinata... open this door! please!"

There was still no answer... Naruto was getting irritated...So he tried slamming the door open... It did open after a while of body slams. (and no... it wasnt damaged...cool huh?)

"Hinata! are you okay in there?"

Hinata turned away from the mirror and looked coldly at Naruto, This wasnt the Hinata Naruto knew...

"Hinata? what's wrong? if its about the door then-"

Hinata glared at naruto.

"leave..."

"but hinata! I-"

"LEAVE!"

Sasuke could overhear them from his room, which was next to Hinata's. So he went to take a short look.

"What's wrong dobe?"

Naruto turned to Sasuke, looking dead worried.

"Hinata's not herself...! what am I going to do?"

"I dunno... what did YOU do?"

Naruto shrugged.

"All I did was slam the door open, I was worried! I keep having this scary feeling!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow... and looked at Hinata. Naruto was right, she did have a scary aura around her now... it wasnt hinata that was infront of them... it felt like someone else taking the form of hinata...

"hnn... Hinata? this isnt the Hinata I know..."

"Shut up...! Just leave!" Hinata shouted at the two jonins, throwing a chair at them... luckily, both of them dodged it.

"Why! Tell me!" Naruto said, grasping hinata by her arms.

"Just leave me alone... " but the last word pirced Naruto's heart more than anything, "...**dobe**..."

Naruto just froze in surprise... He couldnt believe Hinata, of all people, could say that word to him. Sure he heard it thousands of times from sasuke, neji, and some other people, but the point that It was Hinata that said it... it felt like a kunai stabbed him on the back so many times... It hurt him a lot more than any pain-measuring word he knew could describe.

Sasuke looked at Hinata and back at Naruto again... he was still mentally frozen stiff. He couldnt even bother to blink!

"Naruto... This isnt Hinata..."

Tears started to fall from Naruto's eyes...

"Hinata...! Listen to me!" He said shaking Hinata, who was still in the trance.

Hinata didnt answer, she was stiff as a board and silent as the wind.

"I...I... I love you! Please... come back! This isnt you!"

"Please... Hinata... Listen to me..."

Hinata seemed like she really was into a deep trance. It was clear to sasuke who did this, Orochimaru's heir... obviously, There was supposed to be something she wears that lets Hinata get this deep in a trance... Then he saw the spiral choker she was wearing, It was flashing black to red and back again... that was it!

"Naruto! She's under Orochimaru's control! she cant hear you with that trance she's in!"

Naruto looked at sasuke.

"Huh?"

"Gah! Just destroy that Choker!" he shouted out to naruto.

Naruto did what he was told to...however, Hinata had activated her byakugan and pushed Naruto onto the wall using her gentle fist. It didnt damage naruto badly though. Sasuke had to intervene... He activated his Sharingan and Used the Chidori against her, unfortunately, he forgot that any form of mind-control that came from Orochimaru gave the person in a trance a burst of power, so he came flying across the room to the hallway.

Naruto looked at the seemingly 'cold' Hinata.

"Hi...na...ta..." he whispered as he stood up, " Im... not going... to give... up... until you... come back..."

Hinata gave a cold smirk.

"go ahead and try!"

Naruto lunged for the choker, but the moment he was almost near her, Hinata used some basic taijutsu to slam Him on the nearby cabinet... and also, making the box (where the naruto doll was kept) fall open to the ground. When Hinata saw it... Everything came back to her like a flash...

-(flashbacks)-  
"_yea... were here to make sure you and naruto dont make out again..."_

_"We were not making out!" Hinata and Naruto said together, then they looked at each other and looked at the ground blushing a deep red._

"_er... Wanna share my ramen?"_

_"I... I..."_

_"No need for your "I"'s... here, have some!"_

_"wh-where are you going?" Hinata asked in her shy tone as usual while she looked away._

_"...out... A special woman like you needs privacy..."_

_"you really, obviously youre thinking of naruto again are you?"_

_Hinata shook her head._

_"no! I-I wasnt thinking of him!"_

_"DAAAAMN YOUUU! How dare you touch Hinata? You want a fight? I'll give it to ya!..."_

_"Naruto... are you ok?"_

_Hinata was getting worried._

_"are you sure?"_

_Naruto gulped._

_"I-I'm sure hinata... dont worry! just continue eating... so if you'll excuse me... i'll go away for a while to watch you- i mean I'll go away to keep a lookout... yea! that's it! so... er... see ya..."_

_"Dammit... but NO WAY! Shikamaru... pack our bags... I don't care if I never become Hokage mister... but I swear... I'LL NEVER LET HINATA DIE LIKE THAT!"_

_Naruto kissed her cheek and said... "were friends again... right?"  
_  
[You were always there...]

_"YOU CAN DO IT HINATA! KICK NEJI'S ASS!" (during her 1st chuunin exam)_

_"No matter what happens... Im still here for ya! now, go pass that exam!"_

_"GOOOO HINATA!"_

(during her 2nd chuunin exam)

[you were always there... supporting me...]

[I always loved you because you were my inspiration... your courage... your determination... It made me think I could do anything...]

_"I always keep my word! that's my ninja way!"_ (is this right? if not... live with it... sweatdrop...)

[even if I lost the second time on the chuunin exams two years ago, you were the one who returned the hope I had lost...]

_"Hinata!"_

_Hinata looks at naruto, her eyes still red after crying on her loss._

_"Y-yes n-naruto?"_

_"come with me!" Naruto said as he took hinata's hand and led the way to tsunade's house._

_Hinata blushed furiously, feeling the warmth of His palms._

_"Huh?"_

_"Im goin to reffer you to Tsunade! if you cant become a chuunin, then you can become something better!"_

_"w-what do you mean?"_

_Naruto shrugged...Hinata had no Idea he was going to refer her as a medic. He saw Her treat his wounds like a professional when he came back from dragging Sasuke home (the doctors were too busy taking care of the plentiful shinobi injured during the time...). In thanks, he thought he would refer her to Tsunade in return..._

_"gah... just come! hurry! Obasan cant wait forever can she?"  
_  
[that's why I loved you...]

-(end of flashbacks)-

Hinata seemed to lunge at Naruto, he thought it would be the end of him... to die on the hand of the one he loved... **HOWEVER**... that wasnt it... She hugged him for a moment, and lost conciousness. The choker had already crumbled for no good reason... Hinata didnt know what the hell she did... that's for sure... Naruto smiled at Hinata, and caressed her hair. He was too afraid to do so when she was awake... he'd never know how the rich hyuuga heir WOULD react to A poor jackass like him touching her precious navy blue hair. He stood up and carried Hinata to her bed.

Sasuke was already behind him, tapping his foot on the floor. Obviously, he did take a bad blow from hinata's taijutsu, but he recovered quickly.

"so... I was right all along... you did LOVE her..."

Naruto laid hinata on her bed and looked at sasuke with a raised eyebrow,

"and so?"

"nothin wrong with that dobe... anyway, Im goin to bed...again." Sasuke joked as he patted Naruto hard on the back and headded for his room, thankful that Naruto and Hinata's 'short' quarrel was over...

Ino and Temari ran from their room, finding sasuke walking towards his room from Hinata's room.

"hey! Sasuke-kun... is there anything wrong? what's the noise? did I miss anything?"

Sasuke eyed the blonde girls and walked away,

"nothing... and if I might say so... youre getting **more** annoying everytime I see you..."

Temari raised an eyebrow.

"heh... and like I think youre gettin **softer** everytime you think of that Haruno girl..."

"shutup..." sasuke blurted out before he slammed the door to his room.

Both of the girls laughed and went back to their rooms. They think i'd be best to just ignore it... maybe Hinata got clumsy and dropped something from above right? itd be no problem...

"goodnight hinata..." Naruto said as he tucked Hinata properly on her bed and kissed her forehead.

How can I tell you? - Chapter 17  
My first love - part I

Morning had come... It was already may the 12th... one day before the destined date of change. Hinata woke up as soon as the sun had carresed her eyelids with its warmth...

"h-huh?" she said as she opened her eyes slowly, still in her bed, "Why am I here?"

Someone came from the curtains, it seems it was he who let the light in.

"Hey hinata... youre awake!" Naruto said happily,

Hinata sat up.

"oh.. i-its you... na-naruto... um... what am I doing here..? I remember I was in the Dining room... ant then..."

"you passed out..."

Hinata looked at naruto.

"I-I did?"

"yeah... Sasuke and I brought you in your room..."

"oh okay..."

Hinata was going to stand up when Naruto went in front of her.

"uh... H-hinata?"

"eh?"

"maybe you..."

Naruto gulped, he was nervous!

"yes naruto?"

"?" he nervouly said in a fast tone, but Hinata knew what he was talking about... there was supposed to be a festival the day after... the Yoru no hotaru (night of the fireflies) festival. There was supposed to be a group singing contest too, but no one was interested in joining despite the cash prize of 5 million yen... (that's a huge amount of money... x.x)

Hinata smiled and nodded, she wanted Naruto to ask her that for quite some time. Izumi and Hana had told her, Ino and temari of the festival and they were all looking forward to it.

"really? You'll be... er..." Naruto said, as he flushed beet red and began scratching his head, "..m-my...date?"

_'date? he meant he was asking me to a date?' _Hinata screamed in her head. She was surprized, all the while she thought naruto just wanted her to come with him.

"okay..." she said twiddling her thumbs together.

Naruto jumped up and down, he was glad hinata accepted his offer. Fortunately, hinata didnt remember what he said on while she was in a trance, OR does she know his feelings for her... Hinata and Naruto are too clueless to notice each other's feelings for the matter.

"Okay! uh... so... I'm gonna go now... hehehe" Naruto said as he walked towards the door.

"okay... see you..."

- (meanwhile, lets see how kana is...)

Kana was almost halfway to Konoha... she had been delayed by a few anbus and she also had gotten a few wounds.

"gah... how many are the ANBUs from the sound country? Its like it doesnt end!" she screamed as she bandaged a wound at her left leg...

The wound was really deep, she gotten it on her last battle with sound ANBU. It was the one making her so slow at going to konoha... so much for urgency. But she felt a presence... ANBU again?

"Crap! Anbu! I cant take it any- ouch!" she said trying to stand up despite the pain of her leg. She had already balanced herself when the anbu finally arrived in front of her...

"Girl... give the scroll to orochimaru..."

"I told your comrades already! I... Dont... Have... the... Damned... scroll! I burned it down!"

The anbu grabbed Kana by the collar of her loose shirt, obviously eyeing her badly despite his mask.

"youre lying... you have the scroll with you..."

"Im not! Cant you understand plain english? I have a dictionary you can borrow but you have to put me down asshole!"

The anbu got angry... oh no...

"seems like youre not lying... so... Im going to kill you!" the anbu laughed as he slowly took a kunai from his holder.

'This is it... Im sorry dad... I cant do it...' Kana sadly thought as she closed her eyes, ready to die.

Konohamaru was going to konoha as well, he was 10... and he came from the village of the mist after doing some spying (which was his specialty). He was a Chuunin now... thanks to naruto's support, and he had naruto to thank for everything (it means being him a chuunin at such a early age)...well... almost...

"gah... I hate spying... they're too boring..." He said to himself, "I should be training with my teammates instead of tsunade's solo mission...crap... stupid chuunin level..huh?"

Konohamaru looked afar... It was a sound anbu... picking on a wounded girl? he hated those kind of types. he didnt know if the girl was a shinobi from konoha, so he cant help her right now as a ninja... but as a man, he had to.

"hey... why dont you pick on someone youre own size?"

The anbu looked at Konohamaru.

"Stupid kid... she's no bigger than you... Im no way near youre size..."

Konohamaru remembered and smacked himself mentally on the head. crap! he forgot he was still 10...

"gah.. whatever... now I want you to put the girl down before I kill you..." Konoha warned the anbu...

Kana looked at Konohamaru, she had doubts that this kid'll win against an anbu

"this is none of youre business!" she said angryly at the boy.

"Hey... Its either I help ya, or ya die... if you die I'll have nightmares... so I have no choice but to do so... got it?"

"enough with the gibberish kid... back off before I change my mind and kill you first.."

Konohamaru gave the anbu a smirk and did some seals. Seeing this, the anbu threw Kana aside and began to analize what Konohamaru was doing...

"youre only a chuunin.. one measly chuunin like you cant beat me..."

"who said that Im the only one?" Konohamaru said as he finished the jutsu seals, It was kage bunshin no jutsu... Naruto had taught him that when he became genin a few years ago. "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

_'He knows kage bunshin?'_ Kana shouted in her thoughts as she gazed at how Konohamaru did the kage bunshin jutsu... she had NO idea that aside from her and Naruto, someone else knew that technique.

"heh...kage no bunshin? impressive..." Kana said to konohamaru.

Konohamaru laughed.

"hah... if you find that impressive, watch this!" he said as he and his clones lunged at the anbu, and like what mizuki ended up when naruto did this, the anbu was already punched and kicked to a pulp. Kana didnt find it impressive at all... but... it did the job of getting rid of the poor anbu.

"crap... anbus arnt hard at all..." Konohamaru boasted

Kana stood up, she was trembling in pain but still, she was able to walk some steps on a slow pace.

"hah... that was only one... and in MY history... I have fought and beaten 15 anbu..."

Konohamaru became angry... this girl didnt even mind a thank you...

"whatever! I just got into chuunin level!"

"and so? I just got promoted as well! jerk!"

Konohamaru turned his back.

"feh, i dunno about you but im goin' home... and... im bringing ya with me!" he said as he carried Kana and gave her a piggyback.

Kana blushed a little, and tried to jump out of konohamaru's back, but she was too weak to even lift her arm.

"I dont need your help! Im-"

"shutup... youve lost a lot of blood... and I got to do this as a man... crap... youre heavy..."

Kana gave a short giggle and laid her head on Konohamaru's back.

"youre the one who wanted to carry me..."

Konohamaru blushed and continued walking towards the gates of konohagure...

"Wake up!" he said as he shook Kana up with one arm, "hey, sleepy head! youre in the hospital!"

Kana saw she was in a bed, her wounds were already patched up, and her previous wound (the one that she got when we first met her) was sewn up tighter (because her battles with the 10 anbu on the way had reopened it). She was still sleepy from the anesthesia, the doctors had seemed to given her a minor reoperation.

"huh? Im in konoha right now?" she asked konohamaru who was next to her.

"eep... and I havent told you that yet! anyway, where are you from?"

Kana paused to think for a while... she cant trust him with valuable information yet...

"Im from... er... "

Konohamaru smiled and walked towards the door.

"hehe... Its okay if you cant remember... Im Konohamaru...grandson of the 3rd Hokage..."

Kana sat up and returned the smile.

"Im Kana..."

"Nice to meet ya Kana... and now... I have to go home... okay... Ja..."

Kana blushed a little seeing Konohamaru walk away, her father didnt tell her about this lad. So she didnt expect for them to meet. It was also the first time she met someone her age, the time she came from, there was no other kid there except her.

"Ja..."

Konohamaru was already outside the hospital when he heard a familiar voice...

"Hey... I see that you have come back on schedule Konohamaru..."

Konohamaru looked at where the voice came from... Ebisu..

"crud... do you really have to follow me around?"

"Im your tutor... I have to... youre the-"

Konohamaru rolled his eyes, here he goes again.

"I know... 'Im the 3rd hokage's grandson and I have to report on you everytime I come back from a solo misson...' am I riiiight?"

Ebisu cleared his throat,

"well... anyway... what were you doing on the hospital? a-are you hurt!" Ebisu said as she searched Konohamaru for wounds or bruises and such injuries.

"NO."

Ebisu calmed down and crossed his arms,

"oh... and why the hell are you in the hospital then?"

Konohamaru grinned.

"I helped someone out..."

"hmm... a girl?"

Konohamaru was shocked, how the hell did Ebisu know he was with a girl?

"h-how d-did... you.."

"hah... if you listen to my lessons more properly you'll remember that if you concentrate your chakra on the nose... youre sense of smell will be greatly improve! and the scent on your shirt came from a girl..."

Ebisu looked in front of him... Crap... Konohamaru ran from him again...Ebisu's gonna get it now...

"not again..."

Konohamaru had lived alone ever since his grandfather had died, his father was too busy on missions, so was his mother... Tsunade gave him monthly allowances, but it was pretty small for his appetite... the poor kid.

"gah... Im so tired..."

He slumped on his bed.

_'why are those anbu after Kana? I suppose its none of my bussiness...'_

he turned his head to the left.

_'crud... what if she's a sound nin? I let her in? Tsunade'll kill me for sure...'_

He turned his head again (will it ever stop?)

_'no... its impossible... A sound nin wont kill his comrades... well unless that girl's a missing nin... but she has no mask... hmmm...'_

**"and... WHY THE HELL AM I THINKING OF A GIRL!"** he shouted out.

Konohamaru calmed himself down. Thinking was NOT one of the things that relaxes him... now he has a headache...

_'arghh... women give me headaches... especially moegi... why the hell do I have to be the only guy on the team...? There's that Moegi... always bugging me, and that Kikyou...always making me do stuff... sheesh... and that Kana... she's not any diffrent from them...that's what Im sure of...'_

-(3 hours later, it was lunchtime now.)-

Konohamaru had woken up from his 'arrival nap' and decided to check up again on Kana... he seems to have an interest in her. But only time will tell...

"Heyyy! Konohamaru!"

"Kono-kuuuun!"

_'oh no... it's... Moegi and Kikyou...damn'_

(note worthy fact: Konohamaru is the 'sasuke' of their generation in my fic... which means... fangirls...!)

"what's it now you two?" Konohamaru said while walking towards the hospital.

Kikyou laughed.

"nothing! we just wanna hang out with ya!"

"**yeah...** youve been on solo missions more than Hanabi, Hanako, or even Sasuke-sensei! "(sasuke is their jonin teacher...hehehe)

konohamaru just looked at them and continued walking.

"like its something bad I suppose?" Konohamaru replied, "Anyway, Sasuke- sensei is on a mission with Naruto-san... and If you excuse me... I have to visit a friend!"

"a **F-R-I-E-N-D**?" said a voice... it was...

"Udon?"

Udon just laughed and jumped out of the tree he was hiding in.

"Hehehe... you can still recognize my voice when we havent seen each other for a week..."

Konohamaru kept on walking, but the group kept following them around...

"...you people are annoying... crap... why do you people keep on following me?" he shouted to them.

Udon got some photos from his pockets... gasp! Konohamaru stopped to look at them when Udon passed them over.

"What's this?"

In the picture it was him carring the wounded Kana on his back. Kana had her head on his back and her arms around his neck.

"uh... she was wounded..."

"youre acting out of character right now... hehehe... usually you wont stop walking until you reach your destination no matter what the subject was!"

Moegi and Kikyou glared at Konohamaru.

"Don't... tell... us..."

"... you... have... a...**girlfriend**?"

"wha? NO! I told you people... She's only a **friend**!"

But someone else was with them...

"Yeah folks... He's just a friend..."

Konohamaru looked behind him. It was kana, she was wearing a dark blue ninja uniform now,(think misao from Rurouni kenshin! XD, btw her usual clothes has a chuunin jest, a grey shirt and olive green shorts...) leaning her back against a wall.

"Youre supposed to be at the hospital..." Konohamaru said to Kana on a confused tone of speaking.

Kana just laughed and went nearer the group.

"It was boring... I had to escape..." She joked.

_'What a flirt...'_ Kikyou thought.  
_'I dont like this girl..._' Moegi also thought to herself.

"hahaha... now tell me... why are the sound anbu after you?" Konohamaru asked the girl.

Kana laughed.

"its confidencial... and of course a chuunin like you knows what Confidencial means... right?"

"Yeah I know what It means...damnit.." Konohamaru said in an annoyed tone...

Kana raised an eyebrow.

"Hehehe... you dont seem like you know..."

Moegi jumped in front of Konohamaru.

"comeon kono-kun! Lets get away from this **girl**!"

Kikyou did so too.

"no! come with **me**! me! me! me!"

Konohamaru paused for a few seconds and just walked towards Kana and took her arm. He liked Kana from other girls for some reason. She wasnt like the other people he knew who'd just do anything he wanted them to do and unlike the other girls, she treated him like a rival...

"nah... Im goin with Kana... besides... there are many things I wanna know..."

Konohamaru smiled at Kana and she blushed of course... They walked away towards Tsunade's house for a visit.

"That Girl!" Kikyou complained

Moegi agreed with her.

"Yeah! She stole Konohamaru-kun from us!"

Udon just laughed at them and followed Konohamaru and Kana hoping to be able to spy on them.

_'this'll get __interesting.__..'_


	4. My First Love

How can I tell you? - Chapter 17  
My first love - part I

Morning had come... It was already may the 12th... one day before the destined date of change. Hinata woke up as soon as the sun had carresed her eyelids with its warmth...

"h-huh?" she said as she opened her eyes slowly, still in her bed, "Why am I here?"

Someone came from the curtains, it seems it was he who let the light in.

"Hey hinata... youre awake!" Naruto said happily,

Hinata sat up.

"oh.. i-its you... na-naruto... um... what am I doing here..? I remember I was in the Dining room... ant then..."

"you passed out..."

Hinata looked at naruto.

"I-I did?"

"yeah... Sasuke and I brought you in your room..."

"oh okay..."

Hinata was going to stand up when Naruto went in front of her.

"uh... H-hinata?"

"eh?"

"maybe you..."

Naruto gulped, he was nervous!

"yes naruto?"

"?" he nervouly said in a fast tone, but Hinata knew what he was talking about... there was supposed to be a festival the day after... the Yoru no hotaru (night of the fireflies) festival. There was supposed to be a group singing contest too, but no one was interested in joining despite the cash prize of 5 million yen... (that's a huge amount of money... x.x)

Hinata smiled and nodded, she wanted Naruto to ask her that for quite some time. Izumi and Hana had told her, Ino and temari of the festival and they were all looking forward to it.

"really? You'll be... er..." Naruto said, as he flushed beet red and began scratching his head, "..m-my...date?"

_'date? he meant he was asking me to a date?' _Hinata screamed in her head. She was surprized, all the while she thought naruto just wanted her to come with him.

"okay..." she said twiddling her thumbs together.

Naruto jumped up and down, he was glad hinata accepted his offer. Fortunately, hinata didnt remember what he said on while she was in a trance, OR does she know his feelings for her... Hinata and Naruto are too clueless to notice each other's feelings for the matter.

"Okay! uh... so... I'm gonna go now... hehehe" Naruto said as he walked towards the door.

"okay... see you..."

- (meanwhile, lets see how kana is...)

Kana was almost halfway to Konoha... she had been delayed by a few anbus and she also had gotten a few wounds.

"gah... how many are the ANBUs from the sound country? Its like it doesnt end!" she screamed as she bandaged a wound at her left leg...

The wound was really deep, she gotten it on her last battle with sound ANBU. It was the one making her so slow at going to konoha... so much for urgency. But she felt a presence... ANBU again?

"Crap! Anbu! I cant take it any- ouch!" she said trying to stand up despite the pain of her leg. She had already balanced herself when the anbu finally arrived in front of her...

"Girl... give the scroll to orochimaru..."

"I told your comrades already! I... Dont... Have... the... Damned... scroll! I burned it down!"

The anbu grabbed Kana by the collar of her loose shirt, obviously eyeing her badly despite his mask.

"youre lying... you have the scroll with you..."

"Im not! Cant you understand plain english? I have a dictionary you can borrow but you have to put me down asshole!"

The anbu got angry... oh no...

"seems like youre not lying... so... Im going to kill you!" the anbu laughed as he slowly took a kunai from his holder.

'This is it... Im sorry dad... I cant do it...' Kana sadly thought as she closed her eyes, ready to die.

Konohamaru was going to konoha as well, he was 10... and he came from the village of the mist after doing some spying (which was his specialty). He was a Chuunin now... thanks to naruto's support, and he had naruto to thank for everything (it means being him a chuunin at such a early age)...well... almost...

"gah... I hate spying... they're too boring..." He said to himself, "I should be training with my teammates instead of tsunade's solo mission...crap... stupid chuunin level..huh?"

Konohamaru looked afar... It was a sound anbu... picking on a wounded girl? he hated those kind of types. he didnt know if the girl was a shinobi from konoha, so he cant help her right now as a ninja... but as a man, he had to.

"hey... why dont you pick on someone youre own size?"

The anbu looked at Konohamaru.

"Stupid kid... she's no bigger than you... Im no way near youre size..."

Konohamaru remembered and smacked himself mentally on the head. crap! he forgot he was still 10...

"gah.. whatever... now I want you to put the girl down before I kill you..." Konoha warned the anbu...

Kana looked at Konohamaru, she had doubts that this kid'll win against an anbu

"this is none of youre business!" she said angryly at the boy.

"Hey... Its either I help ya, or ya die... if you die I'll have nightmares... so I have no choice but to do so... got it?"

"enough with the gibberish kid... back off before I change my mind and kill you first.."

Konohamaru gave the anbu a smirk and did some seals. Seeing this, the anbu threw Kana aside and began to analize what Konohamaru was doing...

"youre only a chuunin.. one measly chuunin like you cant beat me..."

"who said that Im the only one?" Konohamaru said as he finished the jutsu seals, It was kage bunshin no jutsu... Naruto had taught him that when he became genin a few years ago. "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

_'He knows kage bunshin?'_ Kana shouted in her thoughts as she gazed at how Konohamaru did the kage bunshin jutsu... she had NO idea that aside from her and Naruto, someone else knew that technique.

"heh...kage no bunshin? impressive..." Kana said to konohamaru.

Konohamaru laughed.

"hah... if you find that impressive, watch this!" he said as he and his clones lunged at the anbu, and like what mizuki ended up when naruto did this, the anbu was already punched and kicked to a pulp. Kana didnt find it impressive at all... but... it did the job of getting rid of the poor anbu.

"crap... anbus arnt hard at all..." Konohamaru boasted

Kana stood up, she was trembling in pain but still, she was able to walk some steps on a slow pace.

"hah... that was only one... and in MY history... I have fought and beaten 15 anbu..."

Konohamaru became angry... this girl didnt even mind a thank you...

"whatever! I just got into chuunin level!"

"and so? I just got promoted as well! jerk!"

Konohamaru turned his back.

"feh, i dunno about you but im goin' home... and... im bringing ya with me!" he said as he carried Kana and gave her a piggyback.

Kana blushed a little, and tried to jump out of konohamaru's back, but she was too weak to even lift her arm.

"I dont need your help! Im-"

"shutup... youve lost a lot of blood... and I got to do this as a man... crap... youre heavy..."

Kana gave a short giggle and laid her head on Konohamaru's back.

"youre the one who wanted to carry me..."

Konohamaru blushed and continued walking towards the gates of konohagure...

"Wake up!" he said as he shook Kana up with one arm, "hey, sleepy head! youre in the hospital!"

Kana saw she was in a bed, her wounds were already patched up, and her previous wound (the one that she got when we first met her) was sewn up tighter (because her battles with the 10 anbu on the way had reopened it). She was still sleepy from the anesthesia, the doctors had seemed to given her a minor reoperation.

"huh? Im in konoha right now?" she asked konohamaru who was next to her.

"eep... and I havent told you that yet! anyway, where are you from?"

Kana paused to think for a while... she cant trust him with valuable information yet...

"Im from... er... "

Konohamaru smiled and walked towards the door.

"hehe... Its okay if you cant remember... Im Konohamaru...grandson of the 3rd Hokage..."

Kana sat up and returned the smile.

"Im Kana..."

"Nice to meet ya Kana... and now... I have to go home... okay... Ja..."

Kana blushed a little seeing Konohamaru walk away, her father didnt tell her about this lad. So she didnt expect for them to meet. It was also the first time she met someone her age, the time she came from, there was no other kid there except her.

"Ja..."

Konohamaru was already outside the hospital when he heard a familiar voice...

"Hey... I see that you have come back on schedule Konohamaru..."

Konohamaru looked at where the voice came from... Ebisu..

"crud... do you really have to follow me around?"

"Im your tutor... I have to... youre the-"

Konohamaru rolled his eyes, here he goes again.

"I know... 'Im the 3rd hokage's grandson and I have to report on you everytime I come back from a solo misson...' am I riiiight?"

Ebisu cleared his throat,

"well... anyway... what were you doing on the hospital? a-are you hurt!" Ebisu said as she searched Konohamaru for wounds or bruises and such injuries.

"NO."

Ebisu calmed down and crossed his arms,

"oh... and why the hell are you in the hospital then?"

Konohamaru grinned.

"I helped someone out..."

"hmm... a girl?"

Konohamaru was shocked, how the hell did Ebisu know he was with a girl?

"h-how d-did... you.."

"hah... if you listen to my lessons more properly you'll remember that if you concentrate your chakra on the nose... youre sense of smell will be greatly improve! and the scent on your shirt came from a girl..."

Ebisu looked in front of him... Crap... Konohamaru ran from him again...Ebisu's gonna get it now...

"not again..."

Konohamaru had lived alone ever since his grandfather had died, his father was too busy on missions, so was his mother... Tsunade gave him monthly allowances, but it was pretty small for his appetite... the poor kid.

"gah... Im so tired..."

He slumped on his bed.

_'why are those anbu after Kana? I suppose its none of my bussiness...'_

he turned his head to the left.

_'crud... what if she's a sound nin? I let her in? Tsunade'll kill me for sure...'_

He turned his head again (will it ever stop?)

_'no... its impossible... A sound nin wont kill his comrades... well unless that girl's a missing nin... but she has no mask... hmmm...'_

**"and... WHY THE HELL AM I THINKING OF A GIRL!"** he shouted out.

Konohamaru calmed himself down. Thinking was NOT one of the things that relaxes him... now he has a headache...

_'arghh... women give me headaches... especially moegi... why the hell do I have to be the only guy on the team...? There's that Moegi... always bugging me, and that Kikyou...always making me do stuff... sheesh... and that Kana... she's not any diffrent from them...that's what Im sure of...'_

-(3 hours later, it was lunchtime now.)-

Konohamaru had woken up from his 'arrival nap' and decided to check up again on Kana... he seems to have an interest in her. But only time will tell...

"Heyyy! Konohamaru!"

"Kono-kuuuun!"

_'oh no... it's... Moegi and Kikyou...damn'_

(note worthy fact: Konohamaru is the 'sasuke' of their generation in my fic... which means... fangirls...!)

"what's it now you two?" Konohamaru said while walking towards the hospital.

Kikyou laughed.

"nothing! we just wanna hang out with ya!"

"**yeah...** youve been on solo missions more than Hanabi, Hanako, or even Sasuke-sensei! "(sasuke is their jonin teacher...hehehe)

konohamaru just looked at them and continued walking.

"like its something bad I suppose?" Konohamaru replied, "Anyway, Sasuke- sensei is on a mission with Naruto-san... and If you excuse me... I have to visit a friend!"

"a **F-R-I-E-N-D**?" said a voice... it was...

"Udon?"

Udon just laughed and jumped out of the tree he was hiding in.

"Hehehe... you can still recognize my voice when we havent seen each other for a week..."

Konohamaru kept on walking, but the group kept following them around...

"...you people are annoying... crap... why do you people keep on following me?" he shouted to them.

Udon got some photos from his pockets... gasp! Konohamaru stopped to look at them when Udon passed them over.

"What's this?"

In the picture it was him carring the wounded Kana on his back. Kana had her head on his back and her arms around his neck.

"uh... she was wounded..."

"youre acting out of character right now... hehehe... usually you wont stop walking until you reach your destination no matter what the subject was!"

Moegi and Kikyou glared at Konohamaru.

"Don't... tell... us..."

"... you... have... a...**girlfriend**?"

"wha? NO! I told you people... She's only a **friend**!"

But someone else was with them...

"Yeah folks... He's just a friend..."

Konohamaru looked behind him. It was kana, she was wearing a dark blue ninja uniform now,(think misao from Rurouni kenshin! XD, btw her usual clothes has a chuunin jest, a grey shirt and olive green shorts...) leaning her back against a wall.

"Youre supposed to be at the hospital..." Konohamaru said to Kana on a confused tone of speaking.

Kana just laughed and went nearer the group.

"It was boring... I had to escape..." She joked.

_'What a flirt...'_ Kikyou thought.  
_'I dont like this girl..._' Moegi also thought to herself.

"hahaha... now tell me... why are the sound anbu after you?" Konohamaru asked the girl.

Kana laughed.

"its confidencial... and of course a chuunin like you knows what Confidencial means... right?"

"Yeah I know what It means...damnit.." Konohamaru said in an annoyed tone...

Kana raised an eyebrow.

"Hehehe... you dont seem like you know..."

Moegi jumped in front of Konohamaru.

"comeon kono-kun! Lets get away from this **girl**!"

Kikyou did so too.

"no! come with **me**! me! me! me!"

Konohamaru paused for a few seconds and just walked towards Kana and took her arm. He liked Kana from other girls for some reason. She wasnt like the other people he knew who'd just do anything he wanted them to do and unlike the other girls, she treated him like a rival...

"nah... Im goin with Kana... besides... there are many things I wanna know..."

Konohamaru smiled at Kana and she blushed of course... They walked away towards Tsunade's house for a visit.

"That Girl!" Kikyou complained

Moegi agreed with her.

"Yeah! She stole Konohamaru-kun from us!"

Udon just laughed at them and followed Konohamaru and Kana hoping to be able to spy on them.

_'this'll get __interesting.__..'_

How can I tell you? - Chapter 17  
My first love - II

Konohamaru and Kana were walking down at the park. The petals from the cherry blossom trees were falling... and of course Konohamaru couldnt resist to ask...

"hey Kana... where did you really come from...?"

Kana stopped walking and sat on the nearby bench.

"well... er... I dont remember actually..."

"oh... so..."

"hn?"

"what do yo-"

"if youre asking what I like... No... I dont like chocolates... Im allergic to cocoa. besides... its messy... and Yes... I love Ramen..."

Konohamaru laughed and sat next to her.

"hahaha... read my mind... good for ya..."

Kana looked at Konohamaru.

"tell me... how did you learn the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu?"

"My teacher Naruto taught me that skill a year ago... when I became chuunin"

Kana looked up into the sky.

"oh..."

Konohamaru looked at the girl beside him, and he felt his heartbeat grow faster every second... he didnt understand this feeling... yet.

"uh... what's your birthday...?"

Kana raised an eyebrow.

"hmm... Wait a minute... is this an interview?"

Konohamaru laughed and crossed his arms.

"hahaha... no... I just wanna know if youre an anbu of some hidden village spying on konoha..."

Kana gave him a whack on the head.

"HELL NO! DO I look like an ANBU? I wear A chuunin vest... not some ANBU Mask!"

Konohamaru raised his hands in defence...

"hey hey... i was only kidding..! but... where did you get THAT chuunin vest...?"

"I earned it..."

"oh? and why didnt I see you at the exams?"

"oh hell... I was on a honorary promotion... I remember saving my village from a band of Missing nins" she lied, good for her that Konohamaru beleived in her so easily.

"but you dont have an idea of what your village was?"

Kana thought for a while... she KNEW konoha was her only home... but this was a different konoha... It wasnt the destroyed version of it.

"no... My memory of it was Vauge..."

"..."

kana remembered something suddenly, Her mission! She had almost forgotten it!

"oh crap! I gotta go!" she said as she stood up and ran towards the south exit.

"wait you havent-"

Kana stopped and looked at Konohamaru with a smile...

"oh yeah... my birthday's on January 19th... nice meeting you Konohamaru! Ja ne!"

Then she left Konohamaru with a small wave and ran towards the south, Leaving him with some thoughts of his own.

'ja ne... Kana-omaesan (dearest)..."

Kana ran for some time, until she ended up in front of the House of The hokage. She was good enough to creep through the ANBU guarding the area and go inside where Sakura was sleeping. of course... Lee was there too...

"Oh My Dearest Sakura! How come you sleep so deep?"

kana peeked at the door. crap, It was Lee, her father told her that he was one of the most annoying people he knew.

'geez... this guys so corny... no wonder dad said he was annoying...'

"Oh my beautiful Sakura-omaesan! Will MY kiss wake you from your deep sleep?"

kana almost threw up... he was absolutely corny (no offence to Lee fans It's not that I dont like lee... I like him a lot more than neji... thats's for sure... but It's just what Kana thinks of him)

'jeez... I gotta stop this or else I'll get sick...'

Lee leaned over to kiss sakura when he felt he couldnt move any longer... He knew this jutsu... It was...

"Kage Mane no Jutsu?"

Kana showed herself. Lee was already following her moves.

"heh... I gotta stop you from being so corny... sheesh... enough with the poetry already!"

Kana was already a master of Kage mane no jutsu... she was even so good at it that she formulated a jutsu of her own!

"there... that should do it..." She said as she leaned on the wall's shadow. Pinning Lee's shadow to it. "Ninpou! Kage Tensou no Jutsu! ( Shadow Transfer techinique : It Pins a shadow to another shadow, and the only way to regain movement is by putting light on the shadow the victim's shadow is pinned in. confused? yes? good.)"

Lee was Leaning on the wall, He couldnt move, nor follow her moves like the Kage Mane no jutsu would do... This girl was definately not an ordianry ninja...

"What are you going to do to Sakura-chan?"

Kana smiled at lee.

"hey, dont worry, Im an Ally... I'll wake up your beloved Sakura..."

"touch her...and you'll die!"

"no need to.. im not gonna touch her... besides... if Sasuke knew what were you going to do to her... He'll kill you... not me. and yes I know Sasuke..."

Lee fell silent... well, yeah... the girl was right about the fact that sasuke WILL indeed kill him for the attempt to kiss sakura on her sleep. All he could do was just watch. Kana sat next to Sakura closed her eyes and placed her hand on above her forehead. She made some seals with the other hand and she opened her eyes.

"Jinjutsu no Hakaku! Sakkoukihakudanginou! (long isnt it? but it means : Extraodinary Jinjutsu! Soul arousal ability)

_'It was a good thing dad traded what was left of the family deer for a learning session with Hinata-san...'_ kana thought as she finished the jutsu, thanking god for her father's good choices in the past.

Note worthy fact! : Sakkoukihakudanginou the name of the chakra version of the jinjutsu Hinata used on Hana on chapter 15... Remember the potion hinata used? It was replaced by a mixture of Positive Ki, and a Huge amount of chakra to revive the soul of a person (about 4 years after this day...). However, the person who uses this version must have outrageous Chakra stamina to even live through this act.

Some light radiated from Kana's hand and Sakura's forehead. Then, after a few seconds, The kanji of 'wind/kaze' appeared on Sakura's forehead. It was only a moment before Sakura had opened her eyes and...

"thank you kid... whoever you are..." Sakura Said as she tried to sit up with her eyes closed.

Kana smiled and then looked at lee... who had his jaw on the floor. A girl with this much talent in jinjitsu would beat him or anyone... no question about it.

"you...you..." Lee Managed to blurt out vaugely.

"well... not human? I guess so... but I returned your beloved sakura- omaesan... and yes... no need to kiss her..." kana teased. But she stopped when She saw Sakura enveloped in a different aura... oh no...

"Who.. told... you... that... you... could... kiss... me?" Sakura said as she bashed lee on the head,

of course he couldnt move or even plop to the other side of the room! Kana used the kage Tensou no jutsu to pin his shadow on the wall right?

"ow..."

Sakura looked at Kana and gave a grin.

"thanks again... your name is..?"

"Kana..."

Sakura giggled and opened her eyes, revealing a green byakugan-like eye (just like hana's).

"your second soul was taken..." Kana noted.

"I know... In front of sasuke too... I saw it all..."

"that's the power of the maiden of winds im correct? seeing the truth?"

"well.. sort of... im just her secondary soul..."

Kana smiled and gave her hand to Sakura for a handshake.

"inner sakura I presume...?"

Sakura shook kana's hand gently.

"good guess... Youre a pretty smart girl... hopefully not as lazy as your father..."

Lee kept looking at the two girls. what the hell is going on?

"uh... Im pinned here... help please?"

Kana looked at Lee, and got a flashlight, turned it on, and put it directly on Lee's shadow to free him. Making Lee fall flat on the floor.

"hmph...bastard..." (inner) sakura whispered to herself as she sat down and turned back to kana. "what do you want from me... to have awakened me from my sleep?"

Kana sat down as well. her face moderately serious.

"heh... Sasuke's going back to Him... if we dont hurry..."

Sakura became shocked. She knew who she was talking about.

"no... you dont mean..."

"yes... him..."

"you want me to go with you to Gale village isnt it?"

"yeah..."

Lee looked at the two and sat up... looking pretty confused.

"I dunno what are you two are talking about, but if ever Sakura has to go... I'll come too!"

kana looked at lee and smiled.

"sure...! as long as you can take care of yourself though..."

"great! Yahoooooo!" Lee said as she gave out a 'good guy' pose.

The door slammed open, It was Konohamaru.

"Im going too!"

Kana looked shocked.

"and why?"

"Im your friend... and of course... I'd rather go with you than train with moegi and Kikyou..."

Kana blushed a little and stood up.

"well then... lets get going!"

Later on... they are already out of the gates... they asked some friendly anbu if they could pass and for some reason the anbu let them out...

"phew! glad we came outta the village... this isnt traitorous.. is it?" Sakura asked

Lee gave another good guy pose.

"Tsunade-sama is pretty understanding bout stuff like this... If we have a good excuse... we wont have much of a problem..."

"that's good... at least that's lesser of our problems... but where exactly are we going kana...?" Konohamaru asked Kana in a confused tone.

"heh... Gale village..."

"isnt that where naruto and the others are?"

"yep... and they need help... they sent me to fetch you people..."

Konohamaru gave a grin and started running.

"oh... I get it now... comeon! lets go! we dont have much time!"

"I hear you!" Kana joked as they followed Konohamaru on the road to gale village.

...Not knowing that tsunade was looking on her crystal ball.

"ah... you wont get into any trouble... heheheh... now where's my poker cards?"

How can I tell you? - Chapter 19  
Getting ready.

_"?"_

_Hinata smiled and nodded,_

_"really? You'll be... er..." Naruto said, as he flushed beet red and began scratching his head, "..m-my...date?"_

_"okay..." she said twiddling her thumbs together_

"hello! earth to Hinata...?"

Hinata snapped back into herself.

"Hinata... which one? the sivler kimono? or the green one?" Ino asked the navy haired girl beside her.

"uh..."

Hana pouted and looked at izumi, hoping for her to help with the situation...

"Izumi... please help out here... I know ya picked the silver one but it's too expensive!"

Hana had already picked one and bought it... She wasnt that picky and she got the least expensive of the lot. Izumi had gotten the most expensive Kimono of them... She was a shopping fanatic per say.

"The silver kimono'll only cost ya about 1000 so its cheap... comeon... the green one costs lower but how it was sewn is weak... you'll just embarrass yourself in front of your date..." Izumi pointed out.

Well... the green one did have a cute design... having red peony designs as it's motif on the sleeves... but as Izumi said... how it was stiched together was weak indeed, but only a frequent shopper would notice... The silver one was a cute one too... It was a silkish white kimono that Izumi had picked out for her. It had white, red and pink cherry blossom designs on the sleevepockets... and the silk was of the highest quality.

"um... what do you think Hana-chan?" Hinata asked ino.

Hana thought for a moment...

"well... maybe you should try it on..?"

Temari and izumi seemed to agree with Hana... the only one thing that'd settle this was a fitting... So Hinata tried the green one first...

"uh uh... no way... It doesnt match Hinata at all..." Izumi said, "look... A kimono should say something about the wearer... and of course we all know the color silver would say purity next to white..."

"maybe she's right..." Ino said... Well... at least her pick for hinata was still cute... Her pick for her own was a purple silk Kimono that had some flowers printed on it... namely red and blue orchids with a few irises as well on the sides...

"oh well... youre the boss..." Hana said... knowing she was defeated in terms of feminine things... like shopping for stuff... Hinata had already gone into the dressing room when Ino had remembered... Temari hadnt picked one out yet...

"Temari...?"

Temari looked at Ino...

"eh?"

"arent you going to buy something?"

Temari shook her head.

"nah... I intend to just play some lotteries at the fair tommorrow... besides, I dont have a date..."

"oh... er... why not shika? he's available...but I guess...he's too lazy to even ask anyone simple questions..."

Temari gave out a laugh. She planned Shika and Ino to be dates for the festival tommorrow... and by the looks on Ino's face... she would want to go out with shika... hmm... but if she wants to... how the hell is she going to get that lazyass to ask her out? well...

"heh... nah... Kankuro and I have plans... "

Hana gave temari a bitter look.

"dont tell me youre... going on a date with your own brother? that's weird... "

Temari whacked the girl on her head... such a dirty minded girl for her age...

"hell no! Kankuro and I have to earn money! its just some lotteries so just keep your mouth shut... were not that rich as you are and we also have to eat! crap... kids these days..."

"okay okay... Im sorry... geez... she's to sensitive... i was just joking..."

After some moments of silence, Hinata came out of the dressing room... well... the green one didnt actually look well on her... it was too loose on the shoulders... She came back in after some comments from Ino, hana and izumi... She came out of the dressing room again... but this time... smiles were illuminating from the 3 girls faces as Hinata walked towards them again, this time... wearing the Silver kimono...

"It fits you..." Izumi commented.

Hana sighed in total defeat...

"oooookaaay... Izumi gets the score... crap... the one i picked out for you sucked didnt it?"

Ino gave a short pat on the back to hana

"its okay... youre just 14... you'll get the hang of shopping pretty soon.

"so... this is alright?" Hinata asked her comrades.

They all nodded and paid for the kimono after Hinata had undressed it. They went out of the store with hinata practically skipping her way to the cottage. -

"so you asked Hinata out?" Sasuke asked the blonde ninja next to him.

Naruto looked at Sasuke.

"yeah... and so? like you have asked anyone out..."

"its because there's no one I'm interested in..."

"but youre interested in Sakura... hmm?" Shikamaru who was in the other side of him.

Sasuke looked away with a blush... well.. he does have feelings for sakura... and he gets super soft when he's with her.

"y-yeah... so what?"

"hey... nothing's wrong with that..."

"too bad she's already gone..." Naruto said sadly remembering the news...

Sasuke looked sadder as he remembered the 'last' moments of her life...

-(flashback)-

_"...Sasu...ke..."_

-(end of flashback)-

"I dont believe she's dead...yet..." Neji said, breaking Sasuke's sad memory.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow...

"how can you say that when I saw her die in front of me...? and the last time I saw her she wasnt the warm sakura I knew... she was pale and cold..."

"...but you mustnt lose hope... maybe she's just dormant... you keep on refferig to her as 'dead'..."

Sasuke remembered Tsunade's words...

_"yes, she is still alive... She's under the state of being dormant at this time... If hinata were here, she'd know the medicine to relive this."  
_  
Sasuke nodded, he remembered... Sakura wasnt dead at all... she was just sleeping.

"I remember Tsunade-sama say so... but-"

Naruto couldnt take Sasuke's negative attitude anymore... so he stood up and pointed a kunai on him.

"you know... Im sick and tired of you saying things that are negative... it sickens me... first revenge for your clan by killing itachi... now youre so negative beacause you dont believe that Sakura-chan's still alive... Youre a bigger idiot than me!"

Normally Sasuke would answer back... but Naruto was right... Sasuke wasnt himself and kept thinking negative... Naruto threw the kunai away, and grabbed sasuke by the collar of his shirt.

"you moron... you have the guts to call me 'dobe' everyday... but you dont have the guts to even have a little drop of faith! What kind of moron are you? You cant be called a ninja!"

Sasuke jumped away from Naruto's grip.

"pft..."

"...If you **really** love someone... you'd have faith that she's still there, waiting for you! you cant just stand there and mourn!"

"...youre the moron... you havent even told hinata what you feel!" Sasuke attempted to answer back... but luckily naruto found the right excuse...

"hell.. like I had the chance or the opportunity to? but I will that's for sure..."

Shikamaru, and Neji were surprised at Naruto's wise words...

"heh... youre acting like youre even smart..." Shikamaru joked

Naruto gave Shikamaru an annoyed look.

"like you are?"

Shikamaru laughed.

"dont forget... I have an IQ of 200... you foolish jonin..."

Someone came out of the gates, (they were in the gardens... in front of the gate) It was Chouji, gaara, and Kankuro.

"any luck on the girls yet?" Neji asked

Chouji Shook his chubby head after munching a handful of chips.

"nah... munch...munch..."

"no sign of them on the malls...or the marketplace..." Kankuro noted,

Gaara looked annoyed. Why did all of them want him to go and find those girls...? especially that aqua haired water-girl... crap... seeing her was as bad as hell for Gaara.

"damned women..."

Neji Laughed

"heh... gaara's sounding more like shikamaru..."

"that's not a joke..."Shikamaru annoyingly commented...

"it isnt?"

"yeah... and that one doesnt make me laugh either..."

The gates suddenly opened again... It was the girls! Everyone of them was carring a bag, Except for Temari and Izumi.

"Hi!" Temari greeted.

"Hello... and where did you four go to? kimono shopping I suppose?" Shikamaru asked

Temari laughed

"Yeah... after that we decieded to go for some sandals..."

"no wonder we didnt find you..."

Naruto walked up to Hinata who was carring a bag.

"er... want me to help you with that?"

Hinata blushed a little and smiled.

"um... no thatnks Naruto-kun... Im okay carring this..."

"you sure?"

"y-yeah..."

Ino looked at the two so cute.

_'hmph... shikamaru wont be that generous... lucky hinata...'_

"Want me to carry that?"

Ino looked at shikamaru confused.

"well well... this's the first time you even thought of offering me to carry my stuff..."

Shikamaru blushed a pale red as he mentally smacked himself because this was so unlike him. as of now he was thinking of some miracle excuse.

"that was because your bags were heavier than that..."

"huh? was it really heavy?"

Shikamaru thought again. He had to think of something to say, even if it's stupid...

"about 3 pounds I suppose..."

Ino whacked Shikamaru on the head.

"3 pounds isnt worth much to complain about...Shikamaru..." Ino said angryly.

"hmph..."

Meanwhile... Izumi was looking for Gaara...

"Gaara-kuuuun? where are you?"

No one answered, Kankuro knew, but of course he knew where gaara was.

"Gaara isnt here..."

"oh... then I suppose..." Izumi said as she looked behind Kankuro... it was sand... coming from where Kankuro's Karasu was supposed to be.

Izumi took the Karasu and jumped to it.

"Gaara... you cant hide from me..."

Suddenly the bandages cames out.. well... it wasnt the Karasu, Kankuro left it at his room. But of course... It was gaara.

"get off of me..."

"no I wont... I have to leave early...so I have to spend some time with you!"

"and why is that?"

" I have an appointment with a... er... a guy..."

"who...?"

That word struck Kankuro like lightning, could It be that... Gaara's starting to have emotions? (like jealousy! XD)

_'this girl is a miracle worker... she's doing the impossible...'_

Izumi jumped away from Gaara smiled.

"Its a seecreeet!"

"damn you..."

After gaara said that Izumi gave him a peck on the cheek and started skipping away.

"Bye my beloved gaara!"

"hmph..."

Some hours had passed...the others were having some time doing things... Hinata and Shikamaru were busy teaching Naruto the basics of Shougi...

"okay...now that piece can go there...yes that's an alright move naruto- kun..."

Shikamaru laughed... A jonin like Naruto took a bad move...

"heh... naruto.. you have to put some brains into that move naruto... you'll lose to hinata..."

"I dont need your side coments... "

"okay.. " Shikamaru said as he saw hinata make her move... a good one too... It was only 6 moves since the game started and naruto had already lost to Hinata...

"noooooooooooo... I lost again... crap..."

"dont worry Naruto-kun..." Hinata assured the Blonde jonin. "you'll win soon... it just takes practice and patience... youre good at that right?"

Naruto's loss seemed to have dissappeared... and yes... naruto was good at patience... It he wasnt that patient and willing to become hokage... he wouldnt even reach the jonin position... while for Shikamaru... well... he was still a Chuunin for 4 years... he thought that of course the point of the hassle of effort was still too troublesome... the lazy bum.

"Yeah! I'll get this right! Thanks Hinata!"

Hinata blushed a beet red as Naruto continued on thanking her. They continued on playing while Shikamaru walked away to give them some privacy and at the same time tell Ino the good news... that Naruto and Hinata are starting to become closer and closer... and It was only a matter of time before naruto would have enough confidence to tell hinata the truth.

"Hey Ino..." he said to attract the attention of the blonde chuunin.

Ino looked at shikamaru, with a bored face... she was dead bored. There wasnt anything to do yet.

"eh? what is it shika?"

Shikamaru pointed at Hinata and Naruto... he was too lazy to explain the things that were happening...

"ooooh!" Ino giggled, seeing the couple playing shouji together "how cute! this is a good development shika!"

Shikamaru counldt hide but to turn red as Ino looked at him straight into his eye... and found it more harder for him to stay focused when he noticed Ino walk up towards him.

"uh... "

"uh... " Shika repeated,

"do you want to go with me to the festival tommorrow?"

Shikamaru laughed... he was about to say the same thing too... now it was time for him to say his answer.

"sure... whatever... the weather forecast tommorow will be too cloudy.. I cant watch the clouds... maybe the festival would be worth a shot..."

Ino happily threw herself into Shikamaru for a hug.

"Shikamaru! Youre the best! I'll meet you with Naruto and Hinata on the town square! Hana! come with me! I'll show you something!" she said as she skipped upstairs...

"okay.. Im coming Ino-san!" Hana shouted as she climbed te stairs after Ino.

Shikamaru found himself having no regrets on putting some effort into something... maybe effort was worth the effort.

"heh..."

"you seem happy...munch...munch... on a date with ino tommorrow?" someone asked from behind.

Shika looked behind him...

"oh chouji...no we're not on a date... im just 'accompanying' her... "

Chouji raised a fat eyebrow while continuing eating his usual bag of potato chips.

"oh? I thoughed youd answer with something like... munch..munch... troublesome?"

"eh?"

"I thought women were troublesome? why go with a girl now?"

"...er... Ino's different..."

"she's a boy? how'd did... munch... that happen?"

"NO! er... she's not as troublesome as others okay.. because..."

"you like her...?"

"EHHHHH? You know?"

"for the past 3 years... yes..."

"how the-"

"its obvious... munch... you two fight like youre both engaged or something... that had to come sooner or later..."

"oh... so Im that obvious huh?"

Suddenly someone opened the door. It was tenma... most probrobly checking up on them...

"oh you shinobi are still here?"

Neji gave a slight smirk and looked at the guy.

"we have plans to stay until the may 14th... some of us want to enjoy the festival now that we're free of duties because hana is all cured..."

"yes... I was expecting that..."

Tenma walked up to Hinata...

"Hi hinata-san!"

Hinata made her move and looked behind her...

"oh.. tenma-kun..."

"hehehe... nice to see you again... playing shougi with... Naruto-san? I didnt notice you there...hi!"

"hi..." Naruto said.

'you didnt notice me baka? well... im gonna make ya notice me soon enough... '

"Hey hinata.. would you go out with me to the festival tommorow?"

Naruto looked at hinata with hope in his eyes that remember that she's already promised the day to Naruto... so...

"no thanks Tenma kun... Na-naruto already asked me out earlier this morning... sorry..."

Tenma looked dismayed...

"oh well... seems like i'll go with someone else then... hehehe..." He said as he patted her on the back... but... bad move... It triggered hinata to faint! (her body is weak remember?)

Naruto stood up. knocking an original ming vase behind him to fall to the floor and break into many pieces...

"oh no! Hinata! What did you do?"

"nothing! youre the one who did something!"

"what did I do!"

"You broke my father's ming vase!"

"and so?"

"pay for it!"

"eh?"

"you heard me! pay me back 3 million!"

"WHHHAAATTTT? IT COSTS THAT MUCH!"

"ming vases are expensive... and that one has sentimental value..."

Neji butted in.

"and when do you want us to pay for that?"

"by tommorrow at 12am..."

"fine... we'll find a way..."

"but how the hell are we going to get that much cash?" Shikamaru stated.

Tenma frowned...

"tommorrow there are lotteries and contests... try your luck in them... youre more than skilled enough to win all of the fair games in succession if you wanted to anyway..."

"mou... more troublesome things to worry about... crap..."

Tenma headded for the door...

"Im sorry if im acting a little cold..."

Neji gave Tenma a look that most probrobly said... 'get out you moron... or i'll kill you myself with my gentle fist...'. Tenma just gave a smile and closed the door behind him.

"Hinata! Hinata!" Naruto said, shaking hinata until she came back to her senses...

Hinata opened her eyes... to see herself in Naruto's arms. She cant hold back the blush she was showing after realizing.

"na-naruto...? what happened?"

"It was nothing hinata... tenma just gave your body a shock..."

Neji walked up to his cousin.

"you alright?"

"yes neji-niisan... im okay... I guess I just fainted because I was just too stressed out today...hehehe..."

"that's good... and naruto..."

Naruto looked at Neji...

"eh?"

"you can let go of My cousin now..."

Upon realizing that hinata was still in his arms, he flushed red and helped hinata up.

"eh...hehehehe..." Naruto laughed

"hehe..."

"so tommorrow's plans are still okay hinata?"

"yeah.."

Tenma was still outside... he was overhearing their conversations... and he had someone with him...

"so you did as planned?" said a familliar voice.

"yes... the negative ki I gave to hinata was enough to weaken her... "

"so she really is that frail... "

The girl hugged Tenma's arm.

"I guess so..."

Someone appeared from the bushes. It was a girl with aquamarine eyes.

"So... hello..." Tenma said to the girl

"hey... What are you doing here?"

"you know youre a jerk.. making me wait for hours on that damned house of yours..."

"heh... patience..."

"okay... and dont worry... I did my part already... i had erased hana's memory of the incident days ago.."

"that's good..."

"hehehe..."

The girl hugging Tenma Smiled.

"Heh... yes... little girl.. **respect** him and **acknowledge** him... after all... you owe him your family's life..."

The aquamarine eyed girl frowned.

"'_i know...if it wasnt for you, my mother would have died and my father would have been killed... so I owe you my life...'_ nice try kin... but that isnt enough to make me lose my loyalty..."

Tenma looked at the girl.

"heh... What if I break the news..."

"huh?"

"..that you cant keep the sand boy alive with them... you have to kill him with the rest of them..."

"but... but!"

"where do your loyalties lie?"

"...on...on...on you Tenma..."

_'as long as I use the Genjutsu on her, she'll believe her parents are still alive and i can use her powers... heh... foolish girl... I had killed them the same day you gave yourself up...'_ Tenma thought

"good... Izumi..."

Tears came flowing from the girl as Tenma and kin came walking past her to the gate...

"why...?" she sobbed as she fell crying on the floor.

"tenma... dont you think we're to hard on the poor girl? She's just a 15 year old that became an assasin because-"

"I used an everlasting Genjutsu on her... she'll never realize that I have killed her family... she'll keep on seeing them... hearing them... and even feeling their touches... She'll never see the truth... "

"but still... you killed her family... obviously you still have a heart dont you?"

"of course... I have a heart because I resurected you because you were beautiful... Orochimaru was a fool to use you only as a tool..." Tenma said as he licked Kin's neck slowly... making kin giggle evilly.

"heh.. you are so evil tenma..."

"that's why im Orochimaru's heir..."

How can I tell you? - Chapter 20  
Time of their lives.

Lets fast forward to the next night... May the 13th... (about 6pm)Shikamaru, Neji, Sasuke, and of course... Naruto... who was already complaining about the time girls take to get to a place...

"geez... how long will we wait?"

Sasuke gave naruto a smirk,

"heh...youre the one with the date... it's your problem..."

"**oh hell** **with it**... where are those-"

Then someone poked Naruto on the back... It was Izumi and Hana.

"you were saying?" Izumi asked the jonin.

"er... nothing?"

"okay... umm... where's gaara kun?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow...

"I dunno... I thought he was going to be with you?"

"yeah... but i guess he 's with Temari and Kankuro... do you have an idea where ino and Hinata are right now?"

"I have no idea..."

Shikamaru laughed as the convo between Izumi and Naruto continued. He looked behind him, seeing 5 people coming their way.

"Hey... Naruto... they're here..."

Everyone looked behind them to see Hinata, Ino, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara come to them.

Hinata walked up to Naruto and started to twiddle her fingers as usual.

"h-hi...N-naruto..."

"hi... y-you look great today!"

Both Naruto and Hinata looked at the floor and blushed.

"thanks..."

Hinata was wearing the Kimono that Izumi picked out for her... She had her hair done by ino. Naruto thought that the orchid that hung over her right ear just fit her very well..

"so... er... where do you wanna go tonight?" Ino asked the lazy chuunin in front of her.

Shikamaru gave a smile... Ino was wearing a ponytail just like before... it was her first in 4 years... and instead of the band that held her ponytail together before, it was a red ribbon that had matched her purple kimono. Shikamaru always knew Ino had a thing for Purple stuff...

"no where specific... anyway... you look good today..."

Ino blushed for a moment and held Shikamaru's hand.

"Comeon.. we have to play some games! Hinata, Naruto, izumi, Hana-chan, Sasuke-kun, Neji, Temari, Kankuro, Gaara... see you guys later!"

"this is going to be so-"

"yeah yeah yeah right... **troublesome**! I know! lets go Shikamaru!" Ino said as she dragged shikamaru towards the booths.

"oh well... er.. see you guys later... if im still alive..."

Neji Laughed.

"heh... see ya... good luck with Ino..."

Naruto and hinata had been quite quiet for some time now... maybe it was time that they talked right?

Naruto scratched his head

"heh... er... Hinata... um... should we go now?"

"um... but where will we go...?"

"to the booths! That stupid Tenma gave us a tab of 3 million... it was my fault actually..."

"no... I think It was my fault..."

Neji looked at his cousin with a raised eyebrow.

"no... it wasnt... Naruto was too clumsy..."

"but... i fainted... right? Naruto wouldnt knock over that vase if it wasnt for me..."

Neji shook his head... the old Hinata that he had hated was coming back again... and he was just willing to give up something to help his cousin get her confidence back... his pride...

"and It was my fault... If I wasnt too harsh on you before... you wouldnt be like this..."

"no... its not your fault..."

"well it is... you wouldnt be like this at all if it wasnt for me..."

Hinata looked at Neji surprized... she knew that neji had an unbreakable pride... and it was the first time he took the blame for something... she smiled at her cousin and hugged him.

"Thank you neji-niisan..."

Naruto and the rest smiled at the view... It seems that Neji and Hinata are finally patched up as a family... this would signal the peace between the branch and head family of the famous hyuuga clan.

"for what?" Neji asked after Hinata let him go.

"for being there for me... im thankful that you helped me to start striving to get stronger... thank you..."

Neji was flattered but of course he didnt want to show it... he just smiled and crossed his arms.

"no problem hinata..."

Naruto laughed.

"okay.. now hinata shall we go now? we have to pay the tab by midnight..."

Hinata smiled at naruto.

"yeah! comeon naruto-kun... lets go!" Hinata said as she took Naruto's hand and happily ran with him to the booth areas...

Sasuke Smiled, he looked at his fellow comrades, smiling at them.

"heh... now what will we do to get cash?"

Temari thought for a while...

"kankuro and I plan to take bets on the lotteries..."

"okay... what about you Izumi... Hana?"

Izumi jumped at Gaara and smiled happily.

"heh... of course! Im going wherever gaara-kun goes!"

Gaara tried to get her off of him.

"get off of me..."

"no! Im staying with you...!"

"but at least not on my back... get off of me.."

Izumi jumped off of gaara's back and sighed.

"oh well.. okies.. Hana coming with us?"

"um... im not sure... im not a ninja so I cant do much..."

Sasuke smiled.

"so what are you good at?"

"um... cooking... and um...dancing..."

"heh... none of us here knows how to dance... that will be good for us..."

"'kay..."

2 Hours later...

Ino and Shikamaru had won about 500,000 yen... Most of them are Shikamaru's winnings on some Questionnaire contests, while ino contributed some by some good guesses.

Shikamaru counted the yen they won... exactly 500,000 yen...

"wow... well... we did good back there ino..."

"yeah! you did a hell of a job there too! you didnt even give the opponents time to even think and you answered most questions under 6 seconds...!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes... trying to make his blush less noticed.

"stop flattering me... you did good too..."

"yeah... at making guesses..."

Shikamaru dug his hands into his pockets...

"at least you answered them right..."

"well I guess i was just having a lucky streak...hehehe"

Shikamaru smiled and looked at Ino from top to bottom for the 40th time that night. She looked great. The purple Kimono looked good on her, especially with that red ribbon on her hair. Shikamaru liked this because Ino hadnt worn a ponytail for such a long time... he had missed it, a little... okay.. a little too much, and Shikamaru blushed when Ino held his hand and went closer to him.

"heh..."

Meanwhile with Sasuke's Group... They were busy with booths that regarded strength... speed and accuracy...

"hyaaa!" Neji shouted, throwing a kunai at a target... well he missed by a milimeter..

"hmph... too bad Tenten's not here... this would be easy with her... Hey! another one!"

While Neji was busy at throwing Kunai games... Sasuke was busy with racing games. He had already won about 6 games and gotten a million yen...

"pft... this is nothing... "

Izumi and Gaara? They have a booth of their own... run by Hana, Kankuro and Temari of course... they were making the most money... by making a 'show' by making izumi and gaara have a duel...

"bets! who will get bets!" Hana annouced.

Three men raised their hands...

"I'll take a thousand on the Scary guy!"

"that's cheap...! 5000 on the Red head!"

Temari laughed at the sight... more people voted on gaara to win... too bad they dont understand when it was said that looks could be decieving...

"hahaha... no one's betting on Izumi... seems she looks more Innocent.. no one even sees that she could beat Gaara on one move! hahaha"

Kankuro sighed, trying to stop himself from laughing too...

"heh... we made a million yen... heh... not bad at all... not bad... but gaara would kill us..."

"dont worry... Izumi-chan got us covered... Right izumi?"

Izumi looked at Temari and smiled confidenly.

"yup!"

-  
We have seen what the others have done... Naruto and Hinata? okay! here they are!

Naruto faced towards a fountain... He and hinata had just gotten some luck on some contests...

"gaaaahh... that was tiring... the bad part is... we just got a lousy 250000 yen... I bet that stupid sasuke got more than a million by now..."

"were not sure about that naruto-kun... most probrobly it would depend on how they perform on the games they joined... "

Naruto smiled at hinata...

"heh... i guess so..."

A few moments of silence passed... It was broken when Shikamaru and Ino had bumped into them.

"heyy! Hinata-chann!"

Hinata looked behind her.

"oh Ino-san... how did it go?"

"well it was kinda fun... shika did a great job on answering questions!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes... Ino had been prasing him for almost the whole time they were together...

"it wasnt that great ino..."

"oh yeah... okay... here.. answer this question... (its a riddle i translated from my native language...) ' Im a deep well, filled with knives... what am i?'"

Naruto just gave out a vauge 'eh!'. Shikamaru rolled his eyes again and just blurted out the answer, even if he didnt want to..

"the answer is your mouth..."

"and what about question number #42? 'who is a friend, never parting from you 'til end?'"

"of course my shadow..."

"told you... you did great!"

Shikamaru gave a violent blush and looked away. He had a dislike for attention, but he got the opposite of what he wanted when he turned to chuunin 4 years ago.

"whatever..."

Hinata sweatdropped at them.

"but well... it seems you two had a hell of a time I suppose?"

Ino smiled at the navy-haired medic.

"hell yeah! It was fun... learned a few things too..."

in the middle of Ino and hinata's conversation, Tenma had come near them. with a girl that was awfully familiar to Shikamaru.

"hello guys! got my money yet?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"no... not yet... but who's the girl?"

"my girlfriend... Gimeina ..."

Naruto looked at him angrily...

_'hmph... he had a girlfriend all along and he was flirting with Hinata all this time...that no good two-timing jerk...'_

Shikamaru was also thinking of something else...

_'who is she... she looks so familiar...'_

"nice to meet you Gimena..." Shikamaru greeted despite his thoughts.

The black haired girl smiled.

"yes... it was nice to meet you too Nara Shikamaru..."

"how did you know my name?" shikamaru asked with a raised eyebrow.

Gimena snickered.

"hahahah... i have my sources..."

"mendokusee..."

Tenma took Gimena's hand and smiled when he saw a group of people coming their way.

"well Gimena-chan and I are going now... and I hope I get the payment by later on tonight..."

Naruto rolled his eyes...

"yeah yeah whatever... I had made 250000 already.. dont freak out..."

Shikamaru laughed as tenma and his girlfriend walked away.

"heh... 250 thousand yen? we made 500000..." he said pointing to himself.

"gah... everyone's besting me!"

"That's lame... 500000? my group got at least 2 million yen... "

Naruto looked behind him. It was Sasuke...

"oh great... now I totally flunked it..."

Hinata sweatdropped and then smiled at naruto, rubbing his back to comfort him.

"dont worry naruto... what matters is that we're handling this crisis as a team..."

Hana beamed up and skipped to naruto, hoping she could help hinata cheer him up.

"yeah... so what if we made more than you? it'll all be gone once we pay the tab for that vase..."

"yeah... i know... anyways... we got?"

"2,250,000 yen... we still lack 250 thousand... at this time the only contest that would be still open is the group singing contest at the middle square..." Temari noted holding a pamphlet.

Naruto raised an eyebrow...

"oh well... my fault anyway... Im in..."

"okay... its one... we need three... and oh yeah.. the girl's group singing competition is over ino..."

"damn..." ino cursed... she was hoping to get to sing too...

"okay... who's up for it... Kankuro... no talent... cant sing... Gaara... izumi... too tired from battles... hmm... Chouji...?"

Chouji sighed then continued on his bag of chips.

"nah...munch munch... cant sing either..."

"oh okay... so... Uchiha? Shikamaru?"

"no way..." Sasuke complained, "im not going to sing! ever..."

"I cant sing... its too troublesome...!"

Temari had a scary look on her face.

"if you two dont get in there and sing... i'll ask gaara to mash the pulp outta ya!"

Sasuke and Shikamaru gulped... as Shikamaru's father once said...'a angry woman is a bad thing..'.

"yeah...yeah... okay...we'll do it..." Shikamaru said in an annoyed tone after seeing Sasuke sigh in defeat.

"Then fine... off to the stage we go!" Temari said as she led the group towards the square.

Ino skipped up and down while following temari.

"Yay! im going to hear Shikamaru sing! horray!"

"mendokusee...zettai medokusee... (absolutely troublesome)!" Shikamaru complained.

Naruto looked worried.

"can I really do this? i havent sung since the academy... heh...what do you think hinata?"

Hinata started twiddling her fingers.

"well... I believe you can do it Naruto-kun... youre an incredible ninja.. maybe you can sing too right?"

A smile trickled on Naruto's face.

"heh... its good i have a friend like you hinata... you always have faith in me..."

A blush appeared on Hinata's face...

"heh... im just returning all the things you have done for me..." Hinata said before she walk faster and caught up with Ino. Leaving Naruto with a smiling face following the rest towards the stage of the singing contest...

How can I tell you? - Chapter 21

The Reason

Shikamaru rolled his eyes... why did life drag him into this? Oh yeah... he tried sneaking out... and Ino pinched his ear back backstage...

"Moouuuuuuu! Zettai Mendokusee...!"

Sasuke looked at shikamaru with a raised eyebrow.

"so your 'sneak away' plan failed huh?"

Shikamaru crossed his arms.

"whatever... cant get away... women are so **troublesom**e... I cant sing..."

"oh? you cant?"

"like you can?"

"I can... but its too embarrassing!" Sasuke complained... if there was anything he hated to do was to sing... more he **hated** it when it was supposed to be in public.

Naruto came in with a smile on his face...

"hey! hey! what are you two talking about...?"

"how stupid it is to sing in front of so many people... that's what we're talking about...dobe..."

Naruto laughed.

"heh... at least im not a scardy cat... im not backing out of my word that i'll help hinata with that tab..."

Shikamaru laughed.

"hahahaha... youre really into Hinata are ya?"

"eh?"

Shikamaru looked at Sasuke... seems obvious Naruto hasnt told hinata how he feels yet...

"you havent told her yet have you?" Sasuke asked

Naruto blushed...

"so what if i havent yet? Like I said before im going to tell her... but I dont think this would be a good time for that!"

"and why not?"

A lady came into their room.

"boys... youre next... follow me please..."

Shikamaru and Sasuke looked at naruto...

"Told ya it wouldnt be a good time..."

The three walked out to the stage... finding themselves in front of many people...

Naruto gulped.

"eh... shika..."

Shikamaru looked at naruto, seeing Naruto was just as nervous as him and sasuke.

"e-eh?"

"H-how many are they?"

"the audience?"

"uh huh..."

"about 5000 people... including our teams that is..."

Shikamaru and Naruto gulped, they were sort of thankful the emcee was talkative so it gave them time to calm down.

Ino jumped up and down in excitement.

"oh my gosh! I cant wait to hear Shikamaru sing!"

Hinata sweatdropped.

"heh... Ino-chan... calm down... the song's going to start very soon..."

Temari Smiled and listened carefully. Then the music had started to play.

"Hey! Its starting! hush!"

'You can do it Guys... For her!"

all : I'm not a perfect person

Shikamaru :There's many things I wish I didn't do

But I continue learning

I never meant to do those things to you

And so I have to say before I go

That I just want you to know

All :I've found a reason for me

To change who I used to be

A reason to start over new

and the reason is you

Sasuke : I'm sorry that I hurt you

It's something I must live with everyday

And all the pain I put you through

I wish that I could take it all away

And be the one who catches all your tears

That's why i need you to hear

All : I've found a reason for me

To change who I used to be

A reason to start over new

and the reason is You [x4]

Naruto : I'm not a perfect person

I never meant to do those things to you

And so I have to say before I go

That I just want you to know

All : I've found a reason for me

To change who I used to be

A reason to start over new

and the reason is you

Sasuke :I've found a reason to show

Naruto :A side of me you didn't know

Shikamaru :A reason for all that I do

All : And the reason is you

After the show... The boys won first place... they have the 3 million yen... with also a little extra!

Ino Threw herself at Shikamaru... She never knew Shikamaru could sing so nicely despite the obvious Nervousness in his voice.

"Shika-kuuuun! You did great back there!"

Shikamaru just blushed and looked away.

"It was so **troublesome**..."

Temari smiled at Shikamaru

"but you really did do great there Shikamaru!"

"Mendokuseee! Zettai Mendokusee!"

While Shikamaru was keeping humble to the two girls who were throwing praises at him... Naruto led Hinata To a Tree near the River... There were no fireflies anywhere yet... But naruto decieded to tell Hinata everything... it's Now or Never.

Naruto sat down on the cool night grass with Hinata next to Him.

"Hinata...?"

"what Is it Naruto-kun?"

Naruto gulped... oh well... This is it... He stood up and knelt down before Hinata, Trying the best he can to make a good impression.

"um... I got to tell you something... now that we're alone... I guess..."

Hinata looked at naruto confused.

"what Is it Naruto? you can tell me anything..."

Naruto stood up and walked towards the river.

"Do you know who I sang that song for?"

"no..."

"I sang that song to someone I didnt notice long ago..."

Hinata got really confused... It seems that She doesnt get what naruto is trying to convey to her.

"what do you mean Naruto?"

Naruto looked at hinata, and smiled at her appearance... She really did look awesome in the Kimono she wore.

"You know... I thought long ago... way back when we were 12... like I told you before... I thought you were weird..."

Hinata smiled.

"I remember that Naruto.. I remember that very well..."

"yeah... Before I just said I Liked you..." Naruto said as he held hinata's hands.

Hinata Blushed. (OMG! THIS IS IT FOLKS! XD )

"..."

_'there's no turning back now... you can do it!'_ Naruto said to himself inside his head.

"..B-But...now..."

"...I-I... Think... I-I Th-think..."

Naruto took a deep breath...

"... I Think I already love you Hinata..."

Hinata's mind went blank... as she thought in her head that this was all a dream.

"Hinata... this is not a dream... I love you with all my heart..."

"...Naruto...I..."

Naruto let go of Hinata's hands.

"...Its okay if you love someone else Hinata... I understand..." He said as he turned around and started walking.

"Naruto... I Love you too! I wanted to say this to you for so many years!"

Naruto couldnt believe what he heard... Hinata loved him too! He whacked Himself mentally for being so clueless... Most probrobly everyobody noticed that She loved him long ago, but he was too dense to even notice!

Naruto faced Hinata, seeing her in some tears.

"Hinata..."

"I love you naruto... I dont care if you are the bearer of the demon fox! I love you and-"

Hinata was cut off when she felt Naruto hugging her tight...

"Hinata... "

"Naruto-kun..."

Naruto smiled at Hinata and wiped the tears of her pearl-colored eyes.

"Dont cry Hinata... Im here... No one's going to tear us apart..."

"N-Naruto..."

"I wouldnt say that Naruto-kun..." A famillar voice sounded.

Naruto felt a strong evil chakra along with the voice.

"Orochimaru!"

Orochimaru appeared before Hinata and Naruto. Naruto defended hinata by going in front with his back to her in defence position.

"What Do you want!"

"you dont recodnize me..?"

"I only saw you 4 years ago!"

Orochimaru laughed.

"I applaud your wonderful sense of humor Uzumaki Naruto... but still..."

Orochimaru put his hand on his face, and when he took it away... it looked like...

"TENMA-KUN!" Hinata shouted out. She couldnt believe the calm Tenma would just be a disguise for the most wanted Ninja in all of Japan.

"Yes... good thing someone recognises me..."

Orochimaru dissapeared. Naruto went on full alert.

"what the hell are you planning?"

"simple..."

The ground shook and Hinata yelped for help when the ground she was in suddenly rose.

"Hinata!"

Naruto centered his Chakra on the soles of his feet and jumped up high... He reached hinata and held her hand.

Hinata began to cry.

"Naruto-kun!"

"Hinata! Im here...Dont-"

Naruto was cut short when a snake appeared below him and pulled him down, Naruto had let go of Hinata's hand so that she'll not go down with him.

"Hinata-chan!"

"Naruto-kun!"


	5. The Awakening

**How can I tell you? - Chapter 22**

The Awakening

On the last chapter where we were cut off... by a cliffhanger... :

_Naruto reached hinata and held her hand._

_Hinata began to cry._

_"Naruto-kun!"_

_"Hinata! Im here...Dont-"_

_Naruto was cut short when a snake appeared below him and pulled him down, Naruto had let go of Hinata's hand so that she'll not go down with him._

_"Hinata-chan!"_

_"Naruto!"_

Naruto tried to kick the snake away but the snake was too big to feel something that powerless.

"Damned snake! Let go of me!" Naruto said as he threw a kunai to the snake's eye, making it release him, but he continued on falling on a faster rate... with a endless pit awaiting to swollow him (oh yeah... the pit was formed after the ground hinata was in rose...)

_'This is it... Im a gon-'_

Then he was caught by something... A flying fan? Temari!

"Hey... You cant die on this one Naruto! Hinata's in grave danger!"

Naruto sat up and looked around him...

"this thing flies?"

"this fan can glide.. NOT FLY... "

"oh okay..."

Then fan glided to a safe spot on the ground and Naruto and Temari jumped off of it. Sasuke and the others ran towards them.

"Hey... you alright dobe?"

"Im fine sasuke... but... Hinata-chan...!"

Sasuke looked up... Hinata was already way high up... and with an endless pit nearby... Even with the gliding ability of Temari's fan can't reach it...

"Orochimaru...?"

Shikamaru looked at sasuke in surprise.

"What? Orochimaru's alive! I thought you-"

"I did... but seems like someone else wants a burst of power... and the control of the world..."

"che...is that so? that guy's so cheap at his name..."

Ino looked worriedly at the cliff.

"Hinata... how will we get hinata..?"

Kankuro sighed.

"I dont have an idea..."

"okay... Now what?"

Temari lit up suddenly after she gave something some thought.

"I know! Izumi and Gaara can help together to Finish off Orochimaru!"

Naruto's face lit up too and he held Izumi's hand in hope... However Izumi wasnt that 'happy' with the idea.

"Yeah Izumi! you can do something about this with gaara's sand and your water powers right? right?"

Gaara looked at izumi.

"what's with the long face? anything wrong?"

"It's just..." Izumi tried tell something, but there was always this thought passing by her head that stops her form saying that she is acutally serving Orochimaru's heir.

"It's Just that..."

"If you cant say it then dont." Gaara snapped.

Izumi just sighed. Naruto didnt mind izumi's Out of charcacter behavior and just tried to think of a better plan to get hinata out of there.

"Gahhhhh! I cant think of anything!" Naruto shouted out as he crouched down and scratched his head in frustration. but as he was doing this a gigantic (Orochimaru's summoning is with snakes...so maybe this applies) snake appeared before him and started to head for him with great speed.

The other's were too surprised to even move...

"Naruto! Watch out!" Chouji shouted.

"huh?" Naruto aked as he looked up to see the snake almost near him. unluckily, His eyes met with the snake's eyes... and unexplainably... the blonde jonin cant move!

_'I...cant... move...! Im... dead!'_

"Initial Lotus!"

Everybody looked at the boy wearing green who just arrived... It was lee who successfully knocked the snake away from them!

"Lee!" Ino said... half suprised at his sudden appearance... and half glad that help came just in time.

Lee gave out one of his 'good guy' poses.

"came just In time!"

As Lee said three more came running towards them. Everyone was suprised at who they saw...

Ino rubbed her eyes to know if this was true or just her illusion.

"It... I-It cant be-"

...but the most surprised of all of them would be Sasuke...

"S-Sakura...!"

"Sasuke-kun! Naruto!"

Naruto looked at where the voice came from...

"Sakura-chan!"

"Naruto brooooooo!" someone else shouted out.

Naruto stood up and blinked as Sakura and two others came towards them.

"Konohamaru? what are you doing here?"

"Mission! Im on a mission with you bro!"

"this isnt a game Konohamaru..." Naruto worriedly said as he looked at the cliff holding hinata.

"I know! that's why Kana, Lee, Sakura and I here to help you bro!"

Sasuke looked at the girl in front of him...

"Sakura...? is that really you?"

"not really..."

"what do you mean...?"

"I dont wanna explain it to you now... Hinata's in grave danger... We have no time for this reunion or whatsoever..."

Kankuro nodded.

"We know... but we dont have any idea how the hell are we going to get Hinata back!"

"Lets go all out!" Naruto said in a serious tone, Running towards the cliff where hinata is... to attempt to save her.

"Naruto! geez! that baka of a jonin! Running out like that!" Sakura said... Running after naruto.

Sasuke ran after sakura too.

"Sakura!"

'I must save hinata no matter what!' Naruto thought as he dodged some snakes, and killed some others by throwing rasengan on them.

"Naruto! Dont run by Yourself!" Sakura cried out, "If you get killed no one will save hinata!"

"I dont Intend to get killed Sakura!"

"I dont give a damn! Just turn your butt and come back this instant!"

"No Way!" Naruto declared as he performed his kage bunshin to transform into 3 and ran faster towards Orochimaru.

Sakura stopped... oh well... so much for the effort to stop naruto...

"geez... -huff- will that baka -puff- ever listen?"

"never..."

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Comeon.. everyone has already left to fight orochimaru..."

Sakura stood up...

"oh well... so much for strategies... Once we're done with orochimaru... Im gonna mash the pulp out of that Naruto's body!"

Then after she said that she jumped off...

"pft... Is this really sakura?..." Then he jumped after sakura.

"heh... do you think you can beat me with such a measly amount of kage bunshins?"

"Dont underestimate me Orochimaru!" Naruto said," I had beaten the first orochimaru once... and If I was able to do it then... I CAN do it again!"

Orochimaru smiled evilly and did a Kage bunshin as well... however... he had 6 clones... That he scattered to everyone... One to Shikamaru, Sakura, and Sasuke; One to Temari, Kankuro, lee and Chouji and another one to Izumi, Gaara, and Ino. The original Orochimaru had to fight with Naruto on a 3 on 3 battle.

"Heh... seems we're even?"

"I'll win this Orochimaru! and Im not ever ever going to give up!"

- (on izumi's team)

"Oh... so the great Preistess Izumi has turned her back on me...?"

"Shut up!"

Ino looked at Izumi, confused at what Orochimaru meant by 'turned her back on him'

"Izu...mi... You..."

"yes... I admit I worked for Orochimaru..."

"B-but..."

Orochimaru laughed at the scene...

"Hahahaha... Look at you... Pathetic people..."

Izumi looked at Orochimaru... more angry than before...

"Im not pathetic Orochimaru!" She said as she wielded her weapon.

"...You really are pathetic... you dont even realize that I have been using a genjutsu on you for all these years?"

"what do you mean?"

"Your Family..."

Izumi started to get nervous.

"What about my Family?"

Orochimaru laughed.

"Youre family is gone... foolish girl..."

"no! I just took a picture with them a month ago!" She said as she took a locket and opened it...

Ino took a peek at the picture.

"...b-but no one else is in the picture except for you!"

Izumi looked at the Picture again... to everyone else's eyes she was alone in the picture.. but because of the genjutsu... she always had the illusion that she could see, hear, and even feel their touches.

"No! They're alive! Theyre at the Wave country!

Orochimaru smirked.

"oh really...? look at it now..." Orochimaru laughingly said after making some seals.

Izumi looked at the picture... Ino was right... she was the only one there! Izumi suddenly felt unworty to live... Orochimaru made her believe her family was alive so he could use her powers to get rid of the things that had gotten into his way... all her years of serving him was just because he promised her that they'll be okay if she agreed to. But now... there's nothing to protect. Izumi fell on her knees, crying...

"Mother... Father... !" She cried out loud.

Ino looked at orochimaru with angry eyes.

"You...You... EVIL DEMENTED DEMON! You used her!"

Orochimaru had summoned a snake while ino was saying that, The snake had gotten behind her.

"Ahhhh!"

Ino had already closed her eyes in hopelessness when Kana came into the scene and struck a kunai down the snake's eye, making it dissappear..

"Ino-san! are you alright?" Kana asked the Chuunin blonde while she jumped off the bloddy snake's head.

"Kana? Im alright... thanks to you..."

Orochimaru laughed, Kana couldnt help but try to strike a kunai at him but he was too fast and easily evaded her attack.

"I see you havent given up on changing things little girl..."

Kana smirked at Ororchimaru's comment.

"Yeah... and guess what? I've just burned the scroll of eternity down... ehehehe"

"so what?"

kana's smile dissappeared.

"w-what do you mean?"

"foolish teenager... I need the scroll of eternity no longer... I need no recipie for immortality with the maidens' power's at my side... and once I bring the 4 maidens together... me and my decendants shall rule the world...!"

'his desendants?' Ino thought, 'Orochimaru does not have a wife... or does he? how can he have decendants without a mother to bear hi- w-wait a sec... he's taking hinata as hostage... then... then...!"

"that means...! Naruto! Listen to me! Orochimaru wants Hinata to marry him! He's after the byakugan bloodline!"

"looks like your friends have already figured me out Naruto-kun..." The orignal orochimaru laughed, "what im after is the powers of the life jewels of the maidens... with the powers of the maidens' with me... and with the byakugan bloodline... my decendants will be unstoppable... the sharingan will never compare to the Byakugan..."

Even though naruto just wanted to slice his head off that moment, as a ninja, he has to control his temper at the moment so he could get info to defeat Orochimaru more easily...

"wh-what are the maiden's power's exactly?" Naruto asked in a tone that told obviously that he was just controlling his anger.

Orochimaru smirked.

"so the furious naruto-kun is interested? hehehe... okay... then let me tell you... The Maiden of Earth will grant me Unmatched strength... Wind will give me Speed... Water will give me Ultimate knowledge...lastly the Maiden of Fire can grant me Complete Immortality!"

Naruto backed off by one step.

'grrr... how will I beat this guy... as far as I know... He has the Wind and Earth (that he got from Hana) Maidens... What to do! what to do!' Naruto thought nervously.

Meanwhile... Sasuke, Sakura, and Shikamaru were having problems of their own with their Orochimaru clone... It kept dodging Sasuke's Goukakyuu no jutsu and Shikamaru's Kage mane no jutsu...

Orochimaru smirked.

"is that all youve got?"

Sasuke smirked as well.

"No..." he said as he started using the Kyodori

"so youre going to use that on me sasuke-kun?"

A white flame started to appear on Sasuke's Palms. It also started to sound like a gigantic bird was flapping her wings.

Sakura clapped her hands together in happiness.

"Alright! Sasuke-kun's using the kyodori!"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"kyo... dori? The great mythical bird?"

"yah... its where the chakra used for Chidori is optimized and instead of it turning into a thunder-like concentration of the chakra on the palms and having a weird sound of a thousand birds, the Kyodori looks like a white flame on the hand and has a sound similar to that of the flapping of the wings of a Legendary eagle."

"che... "

'You can do it sasuke-kun...' Sakura thought to herself.

"So my informants were right... you did develop some new technique..."

"pft..."

Sasuke lunged at Orochimaru and hit him with the Kyodori and dissapeared.

"stupid clone..."

Sakura ran towards Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun! You did great! It was just a piece of ca-"

"It would have been hard to defeat it if it was the real Orochimaru..."

"Should we go help Naruto?"

"No... he wouldnt like that... and he'd like a good impression to hinata..."

Sakura giggled.

"yeah... I think so..."

Sasuke sat on the ground with a thump.

"ugh... even with the kyodori... I lose too much stamina and chakra..."

"Dont worry sasuke... everything will be okay..."

"Naruto kun..."

"Hinata-san!"

"eh? Oh! Hana-cha-"

Hana put a hand over Hinata's Mouth.

"shh! Orochimaru will notice us if we're not fast..."

"but how did you get here? its almost 80 feet above the ground!"

"Yeah... its pretty high... and I had some help from Ino-chan... she showed me how to use chakra to climb at surfaces..."

Hinata smiled, but it faded quickly.

"Hinata-chan? what's wrong..?"

"dont move hana...look!"

Hana looked in front of her more carefully... chakra enforced thread!

"...Tsuchi Kin!" Hinata announced.

Kin showed herself to the two.

"hehehe.. look at that... The little flower has a little bit of Ninja in her..."

"I thought youre-"

"dead? that's what I thought too... until Tenma brought me back from the dead... now dont move or else..."

"Or else what?" Hana shouted at Kin.

"Im gonna do... this"

"Dont anger her Hana!"

Kin's hand twitched for a moment, causing a invisible thread with chakra to make a small wound to Hana.

"Ouch!"

"Dont move Hana... Every inch of this area has Thread all around it now... If we move... There'll be some problems..."

not knowing what to do Hana Hopes and prays for some help. She's Not a Ninja, She's just a cook... how can she fight against a experienced Ninja?

"Help...us... Please..." as she said that Someone appears from behind Kin and bashes her to the left side of her flank.

"Konoha Seppuu!"

"Lee-kun!" Hinata said in relief,

Lee looked at Kin's Body, Thankful that the Taijutsu made her quite dizzy to stand or talk.

"That'll hold her till we three get down..."

"but this is really realy and I mean REALLY high... How can we go down without dying?"

"Calm down Hana... Im sure Lee-kun has a plan..."

"r..really?"

Lee Gave a 'good guy' pose to Hana. It made Hana blush a bit... She liked Strong men who dont rely on tricks, or magic-like abilities.

"Dont worry Hana-chan! Im gonna save us!"

Someone from behind whacked lee on the head.

"Gah... What was that for!" Lee said, With waves of tears on coming from his eyes looking like this - T-T

"Dont take all the credit... Kankuro and I Helped YOU to come UP here..."

"Okay... sniff"

Temari sighed.

"oh... whatever... Hinata... We have to go down NOW... Sit on my Fan so We can glide down..."

"What about me!" Hana Protested, worring how she'll go down.

Lee stopped crying and smiled at Hana, assuring her thats its 'not a problem'.

"Im gonna carry you on my back then...!"

Hana Blushed... On his back he said?

"on your back...? bu-but... how are we... gonna go down?"

"Kankuro made strings of Chakra when Temari and I came up here so the fan would come up, Temari just Removed the strings, and tied them to a rock..."

Lee pointed to a rock at the edge of the Cliff.

"see? Im gonna use my forehead protector to glide us down..."

Lee took off his Forehead protector from his waist and placed the metal plated part (you know, the part with the metal and Konoha symbol on it! XD) against the chakra wires.

Temari smiled as she saw Hana blush as lee was working on how theyre gonna go down. She signaled Hinata to hold on tight and she thrust the fan down the cliff... Giving them a landing similar to that of how a piece of paper falls from a desktop. Now, It was Lee and Hana's turn to jump down.

"are you ready Hana-chan?"

Hana was really nervous, But seeing the confidnce that Lee had in himself, all she had to say was...

"I-I trust you Lee-kun..."

Lee Smiled and Jumped down, holding tight to the Forehead protector as it helped them glide from above. Hana was holding on to him by his neck, just closing her eyes in realization of her fear of high speeds (is that possible? o.o;;). Kankuro, knowing they were coming his way, Tied the Chakra wires onto a tree and went to look for the place where Temari and Hinata glided off to.

"Kankuro Tied the wires to a tree... We have to Jump off at the count of 3... are you ready?" Lee asked Hana.

Hana nodded and gathered all her strength.

"okay then... one... two... three...!" Lee counted as when it reached 3 he let one hand go... making Him and Hana tumble on the Soft grass. They tumbled down wards on the hill and Lee ended up above hana.

"uh... you okay?" Lee said with a tint of Blush on his face, noticing how much Hana looked like Sakura, except the fact that she had redish eyes instead of Sakura's Green ones.

Hana was already as red as a tomato at that time.

"Y-y-yeah... I-Im okay... can i... um... get up?"

Lee paniced and Got up fast.

"heh..."

There was a loud eerie silence that was disturbed by chouji, who had successfully beaten an Orochimaru clone by himself.

"Hey Lee! I did It! I killed an Orochimaru clone!"

Lee smiled and gave a thumbs up to Chouji.

"Good work Chou! Comeon.. we got to Find Hinata and the with us Hana-chan?"

"Yeah... Im coming..."

Meanwhile again on Ino, Izumi and Gaara's own battle with an orochimaru clone, They were having their own hard time. Shikamaru was already on his way to help them, Sasuke had lost a lot of chakra and Sakura had to tend to him.

"ugh!" Ino shouted out as The Orochimaru clone Punched her.

"Ino-san!" Kana shouted as she tried to Run towards Ino to help her but instead got stalled by Orochimaru who had thrown a Kunai at her, Luckily she had dodged it beforehand, It was quite a close call too. Meanwhile, Izumi was still dazed... depression seeping through her eyes.

_'Tell... me.. Why...!'_ she cried out mentally on her head, _'why!'_

'why have I been such a freaking idiot... Ive been serving Orochimaru just to realize everything was just a lie...?"

Kana was fighting still with orochimaru and got hit by a dozen needles. Then Orochimaru threw her aside towards Izumi. Kana coughed up some blood and looked at Izumi with hopeful eyes.

"Izu...mi... Dont be so... d-down..."

Izumi stopped crying for a moment to look at Kana's face half-covered in blood.

"K-Kana-chan..."

"You... Have a... better reason... to live... you cant change the past... but you can change... the future...dont.. give... up.." Kana said before she coughed up blood again.

"Kana-chan... Thank you..."

Kana smiled, Izumi wiped the Blood from her face using her kimono and laid her on the floor.

"Gaara, Take care of her for me..."

After she said that she resummoned her pickaxe weapon again and dashed towards Orochimaru. Even if it was a clone... It was exremely agile like the original. Izumi tried using her powers on several hits, but it kept dodging with great speed. No sooner, The orochimaru clone tried hit Izumi on the back and she fell down to the floor.

"Had enough water-girl?"

Izumi used the last remnants of her strength to stand up, she smiled as her eyed changed from its normal playful pair into its scary side (like i described on chapter 13).

"Guess -huff- not orochimaru-baka..."

Orochimaru smiled as he saw Izumi Glowing like a blue flame surrounding her whole body. Fear or Interest wasnt shown in his face, but excitement of by an unknown reason.

"Guess you dont Give up do you?"

"again.. no..."

Gaara on the meanwhile, was guarding Kana with a sheild of sand just in case. he could feel and hear the intencity of Izumi and Orochimaru's confrontation. Although he seemed very much heartless... somehow Izumi had changed him.

"Izumi..." gaara said in a serious tone, trying to control his feelings."Be careful"

"Yes Gaara-kun... I will..." She said before she lunged fast at Orochimaru with blinding speed, with the pickaxe's sharp blade pointing at him.

"Assasin death attack : **Mizutou no Jutsu!"**

But however, despite the fact that Izumi was able to pull off her strongest assasination move, she was stopped when orochimaru lengthened his nails and hit Izumi deep on her side.

"Y-you..."

"cant you see...? whatever you are planning to do... It will never make me fall..."

Gaara's eyes opened wide in half shock and not beleiving in that Izumi was just beaten, wanted to come and help her (because he WANTED to beat her himself not by another), but he cant because Izumi had asked her earlier to take care of Kana. For the first time is his life he felt anger instead of happiness when he saw blood. Did that mean that he now had feelings for the Girl who bore the water preistess's spirit? Meanwhile Izumi was severely bleeding, She was hit almost near the heart and losing blood fast.

"ugh..."

"Maiden of water... Give me your Spirit..."

"**a...a...a...ahhhh!**" Izumi slowly shouted out in pain as Orochimaru's Hand came out of her body, Izumi's Life jewel was taken. Orochimaru Smiled as he swollowed the blue jewel covered in Izumi's blood and threw the unconcious girl aside next to Ino.

"I now have the Water Maiden... one more and I shall be the most powerful man... no... the most powerful GOD the world has ever seen..."

"Not If I can help it!" someone shouted from behind, "Kage mane no jutsu!"

It was Shikamaru, who successfully got Orochimaru in the traps of his shadow.

"Nara Shikamaru... what a pleasant surprise..."

"Not a surprise to me... Baka.. where's Ino!"

"Over there!" orochimaru laughed as he turned his head, looking at Ino's unconcious was enraged when he saw this.

"Damn you! Go to hell! Gaara! Do what you do best! Kill Him! Now!"

Gaara Happily obliged and ordered the sand to do so, but what they both saw came to their surprise when they saw it was a...

"Kawarimi!" Shikamaru said as he panicked to look where Orochimaru went. Gaara had formed a defensive sheild around him an Hana just in case.

Ino stood up just at that moment. Seeing Shikamaru Panicking. As she was wondering why, She noticed someone coming from above Shikamaru and opened her eyes wide. She had to act fast and do her 'Ultimate secret skill' that she never told anyone...

"Torikae Hito no Jutsu!" (its an transfer technique similar to the Shunshin no jutsu. Its where you exchange places with another person, taking the attack that was supposed to be for them. Its a Sacrificial techniqe which Ino never told to anyone.)

Shikamaru looked up and saw Orochimaru heading towards him with blinding speed, He blinked for a moment and then saw himself somewhere else! He looked around and gasped in horror to see Ino being hit by Orochimaru instead of him.

"INO!" he said running towards her.

Orochimaru smirked and licked Ino's blood that scattered on his face when he had hit her on the shoulder with a kunai. It wasnt that deep, but indeed, it was weakening and painful. Orochimaru walked away for a while to watch how Shikamaru suffered, looking at Ino's condition.

"Ino! Please tell me youre still alive...!" Shikamaru cried out with tears on his face for the first time on his life.

Ino tried her best to open her eyes. She did so, but it had drained her more energy.

"Shika...maru... ugh..."

"Dont stress yourself i-ino... you'll be okay... I know you will!"

Ino smiled.

"Dont be... such... a... lazyass... when I... die... okay!"

"No! you wont die..!"

Tears started flowing from Ino and shikamaru's eyes.

"I'm gonna go now...I.. I love you shikamaru..."

"Ino..."

Ino's heart suddenly stopped, she closed her eyes and shikamaru couldnt believe she was gone.

"I-Ino...No..."

A small red sphere that had flames flowing from within it came out of Ino's Forehead and started hovering towards orochimaru. Shikamaru tried his best to bring it back by catching it... but he wasnt able to. Orochimaru laughed evilly as his hand reached for it.

"hahaha! Now that I have the maidens... I will be Immortal!"

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was Holding tight to Ino's cold body, Hugging it tight. He let it go and laid her on the grassy ground, kissing her forehead and then looking at her beautiful face one last time before what he thinks would be the last battle of his life.

"not... While Im still alive..."

**How can I tell you? - Chapter 23**

Onto the distant future.

On the last chapter where we were cut off... by a cliffhanger... :

_Ino's heart suddenly stopped, she closed her eyes and shikamaru couldn't believe she was gone._

_"I-Ino...No..."_

_A small red sphere that had flames flowing from within it came out of Ino's Forehead and started hovering towards orochimaru. Shikamaru tried his best to bring it back by catching it... but he wasn't able to. Orochimaru laughed evilly as his hand reached for it._

_"hahaha! Now that I __**have**__ the maidens... I will be Immortal!"_

_Meanwhile, Shikamaru was Holding tight to Ino's cold body, Hugging it tight. He let it go and laid her on the grassy ground, kissing her forehead and then looking at her beautiful face one last time before what he thinks would be the last battle of his life._

_"not... While Im still alive..."_

"what are you going to do then eh shadow boy?"

Shikamaru gave a silent grin and Performed Kage Mane no Jutsu on Orochimaru, but it missed (so it seems)

"You missed.. what are yo-"

Gaara laughed as he lowered his sand.

"Look behind you..."

"What! How can he?"

Orochimaru realized that the Shikamaru that he was looking at was just an illusion, the real one was behind him, already stuck his shadow into His.

"NOW GAARA! KILL THE DAMNED CLONE!"

Gaara smirked and ordered the Sand at once to kill it. And so He did so, making the clone disappear.

Shikamaru ran towards Ino's Body and smiled while a tear fell from his eyes. Feeling how indeed cold Ino's Body was, she was dead... but Deep Inside Shikamaru, he knew that she was still alive and listening to him.

"Ino... I did it... I beat that Orochimaru clone for you..." he said as he removed the hair that covered her face.

"huh...? what's this?" He asked to himself as saw the Fire Maiden's life jewel rolled on the floor nearby Shikamaru. He picked it up and looked at it carefully.

"Ino's Life jewel... "

The jewel was flowing with the power of fire... if used with the other Maiden's life jewels it could make Immortality possible... but alone...It Grants courage.

"Naruto... I gotta give this to him..."

_'this is troublesome but I've must do it for Ino!' _he thought before he started running as fast as he could to Naruto.

Naruto was having a hard time Battling with Orochimaru and his clones. Naruto's Own clones had disappeared, and even if Naruto had already used the Chakra of The Kyuubi inside of him... The original Orochimaru smirked at seeking Naruto weaken and he called off the clones. Naruto was Panting from frustration and anger as he saw Orochimaru (or as we know, Tenma) come closer to him, with only a cut from a kunai to hit him from an hour of non-stop fighting.

"I see you have only achieved on cutting me on the arm... I see you have an enormous amount of Chakra... but as long as I have the Jewels... I will stay alive without pain or suffering...!"

_'h-he's so strong... how can I beat him? how...?'_ Naruto thought as he stood up, holding his arm that had taken quite a serious blow. It was quite painful to Naruto, Even if the healing power of the Kyuubi helped ease the pain by healing it bit by bit (that's how serious it was).

"I.. I... Will beat you no matter what!"

-(set of flashbacks)-

I have friends to look after...!

Flashes of the gennin 9 when they were still gennin (on the actual series)

I have a village to protect!

Flashes of his Memories of Konoha and the 3rd hokage and the Jounin sensei's.

and lastly...

A smiling Hinata appears on Naruto's Mind...

I have to protect the one I had TRUELY LOVED!

-(end of flashbacks)-

"Do you think you need this **Love** to live?"

"Yes I do! and I _**swear**_ it to the pain of my arm!"

"then lets **ADD** that Pain shall we!" orochimaru said as he lunged towards Naruto, To Naruto's Point of view... it was in slow motion, almost telling him that this was it.

"not if I could help it!"

"Shikamaru!"

"Naruto **Catch**!" Shikamaru said as he threw the Fire maiden's life jewel to Naruto. Naruto caught it and saw in it why he was going on, living for so long...

"I've been looking for someone who would acknowledge me ever since I could remember... and now not only have I discovered she acknowledged me... She was there... Loving me.. No matter how clueless I was to not notice her! I want to return the Favor to her!"

"_Hmph..._ Give me the Jewel..."

"Never!" Naruto shouted out, then at that moment, The Jewel Reacted to his Courage and restored his Chakra by full and healed his wounds completely. Naruto looked at the Jewel and saw it glowing with an eerie red light coming from it, radiating power that slowly came to trickle upon his veins.

"Give me the Jewel Naruto.. ! Im Warning you!"

"I just told you I WONT!" Naruto said as he made the Seals for his most powerful attack... Rasengan.

A ball of Chakra formed on Naruto's Palms and started to grow in size. Orochimaru stepped back, Scared of the Plentiful Chakra Naruto was putting into one move.

"You're going to waste your Chakra... you're never going to beat me...!"

Shikamaru snickered and Used Kage mane on him secretly, Orochimaru discovered this just when It had already taken place on him.

"No! This... CAN'T BE!"

_**"Just shut up**_... You're going to die anyway... feh... how troublesome"

"no Matter how strong you may be orochimaru... We wont lose to you!" Naruto said as he threw the Rasengan onto him, Shikamaru took off the Kage mane no jutsu and jumped to safety just in time or else he might not get to live.

The Body of Orochimaru was disintegrated but he was able to release his soul once again onto the world, ready to take on another host to get revenge once again... but of course that would take on so much time before it happens.

"Naruto-kun!" Somebody shouted out from a distance, it was Hinata with the others.

Naruto smiled happily as he saw the one he loved run towards him and leapt into his arms.

"Naruto-kun..."

"Hinata-chan..."

Sakura smiled at Thanks, The evil Chakra of orochimaru had disappeared, and surely Peace was awaiting for the Shinobi of Konoha...

"Sasuke-kun... everything is okay now... Naruto did it... he had beaten Orochimaru..."

Sasuke smiled. Oh well, so what if the dobe became hokage?

"That dobe..."

Moments later the Life Jewels floated in all sorts of directions, each of them finding the body they were from. The Water Jewel came back to Izumi...

"huh? Am I dead?" Izumi asked herself aloud.

"No.."

"are you God?"

"maybe..."

"Who are you then...?"

"Just shut up... Im Gaara! Now wake up... Uzumaki has taken care of Orochimaru..."

Izumi Opened her eyes and thanked god she wasn't dead, As soon as she stood up she ran towards gaara and gave him a big hig,

"thank you Gaara-kun..."

"feh..."

The Jewel of Earth came back to Hana...

Lee stared in wonder as he saw the jewel go back inside Hana's heart. Hana had closed her eyes, concentrating so that the Jewel would get back into it's place properly.

"What's happening Hana-chan?"

Hana opened her eyes. Her red eyes were back to normal.

"I got my life jewel back... its just nothing Lee-kun..."

Lee smiled at her.

"That's great to hear..."

"Lee...?"

"what?"

"you know..."

"hnn?"

"I like you a lot."

"really?"

"yeah... I mean it too..."

Speechless, lee just did what he wanted and Hugged her.

'_horray... someone likes me...screw sakura... im going for Hana...'_ He thought to himself.

((Im really sorry LeeSaku Fans...))

The jewel of wind came back to Sakura...

"Sakura! Your eyes!"

Sakura blinked, and took a mirror from her pocket and saw that her eyes were indeed , back to its normal state.

'_Yes Im back to where Im supposed to be... !" _Inner sakura said.

"Yay...! B-but what the hell!" she said, then seeing her hair all messed up, so she panicked to get a brush from her bag immediately.

Sasuke smiled, oh well.. old sakura's back again.

And lastly the jewel of Fire came back to Ino...

"Shikamaru-Kun!" Ino Shouted out to shikamaru excited to see him.

Shikamaru looked around and saw Ino Coming to him, He smiled and held his arms wide for a hug with ino. Ino no sooner flung herself into Shikamaru's arms, just happy to be with him again. Shikamaru had put his arms around her, wanting time to just stop for a short moment.

"Ino... Would you marry a genius like me?"

"Yes shikamaru... I would..."

"so you will marry me?"

Ino smiled, "of course I will! You lazy bum!"

Despite that everyone was indeed happy that the problem was solved, Kana lay on the grassy floor, feeling the wind flow on her face and the stars shine their light upon her. She turned her head, to see the fireflies have started to appear, no sooner making it seem that the stars were at their reach.

"Otousan... I hope I made you proud..." Kana said to herself quietly a she saw her own hand fading slowly, She saved the future, but it cost her existence,

Kana smiled as she saw Hinata and Naruto finally kissing among the light of the fireflies and thanked god for everything. She closed her eyes and smiled, readying for her last.

"and now... My mission is over..."

"O!"

"_Huh?"_

"Go!"

"_Go?"_

"ngo!"

"_What the?"_

"Sango! Wake up! Don't act like your father! Your Team exam starts in 30 minutes!"

"What exam? THE EXAM! OH NO IM GONNA BE LATE!"

Sango rose up from her bed and rushed to get a bath, and get dressed, She had Short blonde hair, and a pair of blue eyes. She slid her sandals, and fixed her hair in its usual straightness. She hurriedly ate her breakfast, not as delicious as she hoped it would be but well... it was an improvement.

"What's all the racket...?" a little boy asked his sister as he walked down the stairs.

"Good morning Inori. And hey! Not bad Okaasan... just needs to lessen the salt ne?"

Her mother sweatdropped, she wasn't that good in cooking as she was in ninjutsu but well She was improving.

"Yeah Ino... you always put too much salt in everything..." Sango's father commented as he flipped the page of his newspaper.

"Oh yeah...? Lets see you cook Shikamaru..."

'_Geez they're always like that... grr...'_

Sango finished her food and brushed her teeth. Kissing her mother's cheek before she leaves.

"Our Sango grows so fast... she might even make it to chuunin early like you Shikamaru..."

"Troublesome..."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!"

And at the Uchiha Residence,

"Aori! Momoko! Are you two dressed? Breakfast will be ready in 5 minutes!"

"Hai Sakura-Okaasan!" said the two.

Sakura sighed as she went back into the kitchen to prepare their breakfast. Everything had to be done on her own when Sasuke died out of a mission months ago, leaving her 2 months pregnant and filthy rich. She got through it thanks to Ino's support. Momoko and Sango were very close like their mothers and usually reffered to each other as cousins.

"Momoko! Aori! Are you two ready?"

"Yes mom! Coming!"

The two twins came down running, hoping to get some great tasting food for breakfast. Momoko was an almost exact replica of her mother, except she had black eyes and a personality close to her father's. Aori's Personality was More like Sakura, but his outer look was more like Sasuke to the fact that he had black hair, and no... he does not have fangirls. Naguno does.

"we have chicken soup for breakfast... and don't forget we'll have a picnic with my Gennin batch so behave if you meet some students you knew at the academy..."

"yeah okay..." Momoko said as she drank her soup from a cup, she didn't like the idea of bowls that much.

"Hey Momo... what is your team number?"

"Team #3... you Ao?"

"Team #6... oh well... too bad... if a mission comes up we cant do the Uchiha rendan! (the special attack of the Uchiha twins)"

They finished their soup and walked towards the door.

"hey you two... Don't forget... you cant Use the Sharingan unless nessesary... got that? And Aori... you cant use the-"

"I know... I cant use the sharingan to copy answers... got it..."

"and Momoko youre forgetting something..."

Momoko rolled her eyes, not this again.

"Okay... whatever..."

Momoko Kissed her mother's cheek and bade her goodbye as She and her brother went out for their team practices.

At the Uzumaki residence...

"Naguno! Naguno! Wake up... um...please?"

"Oh mom... can't it wait 5 more minutes?"

"Im afraid not Naguno... Your father already left for the office... you'd better hurry if you want to catch up. And your team practice is today right?"

"Hinata-Okaasan... all riiightt... I'll go..." Naguno said as he jumped up and stetched.

Hinata smiled as she looked at her son, so much like her father in every way. The only thing different was the byakugan and he doesn't have those fox-like marks on his cheeks like his father.

"Don't forget to take a bath now...your teammates are girls I heard, you don't want to turn them off do you?"

Naguno sighed and got his towel. "Yes... Mom..."

After Naguno got a bath and dressed up in his father's old clothes that got passed on into him. For some reason it still looked like new. Naguno Yawned and slowly walked down the stairs to smell something good.

"Mom... that smells good... What's for Breakfast...?"

"Miso ramen..."

"Miso Pork Ramen?"

"Yeah"

Naguno Jumped up in happiness, like his father, Naguno too has quite a big liking for Miso Pork ramen... He gobbled it all up and kissed his mother before he headed out to the training fields for practice. He liked the idea of walking through the roads everyday. He greeted Lee and Hana, Walking their way towards his father's office. Lee had become more 'unweird' ever since he decided on putting back the look he had when he graduated from the academy. Hana was carrying their daughter that they had named Ran. Lee was so proud upon his daughter's death that he promised himself to teach him every taijutsu he knew. He waved a hi at them and continued on walking. No sooner that he looked up at the sky to see the clouds he bumped into a Blonde gennin.

"Hey! Watch where youre going!" Naguno said to the girl.

The girl sweatdropped and helped Naguno up as she tried to hurry.

"!" The girl said to Him and dashed off, leaving Naguno dazed.

'_what the hell is going on?'_

Naguno arrived at the Training fields, seeing a pink haired girl sitting on one of the training logs.

'_WHAT? MOMOKO-CHAN IS MY TEAMMATE! ALL RIGHHTTTTT!' _Naguno said to himself, happy that his crush was gonna be one of his teammates. Naguno liked Momoko because she was always top in class, however for him, he was just average. Naguno gathered all his courage and walked to Momoko.

"H-hey... Uchiha Momoko? Academy class number #2?"

"Uh huh... Yup im Momoko... Who are you?"

"Err... Im Uzumaki Naguno... Academy class #5..."

"Okay then... So your father is Hokage-Sama?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"tell me.. are you a member of Gennin team #3?"

"yeah..."

Momoko gave her 'nice to meet you' smile at Naguno.

"So that means we're teammates then... "

Naguno slightly blushed as he saw Momoko smile at him. The silence of being alone with her was broken when Someone came.

"Hi people..."

"And you are?" Momoko asked the guy who came.

"Konohamaru... Are you team #3?"

"yeah?"

"So you two are the only ones who passed the Gennin exam am I correct?"

Momoko Shook her head.

"No... According to Moegi-sensei, (the one who tested them for Konohamaru...) There was another one who passed... her name is-"

A gennin suddenly appears via Shunshin and looks pretty tired.

"Nara Sango... Academy class #2... is this Gennin team #3?"

"Yes it is Sango-chan..." Momoko answered laughingly, seeing her friend was still living up to her attitude of being late.

"Oh... you're the Girl I bumped into earlier..."

"Oh... You..."

"I believe we haven't introduced ourselves yet... Im Uzumaki Naguno... nice to meet you Sango."

Sango smiled and looked at the teacher.

"Hey... You our sensei Konohamaru-san?"

"why yes Sango... looks like youre late as usual... heard many things about you from Moegi..."

Sango sweatdropped in embarrassment.

"and anyway... We're not training today... "

Momoko raised an eyebrow.

"eh? And why not?"

Konohamaru started to walk to the path towards the park.

"We're going on a picnic... with Hokage-sama and your parents... well unless you want to do a D misson today that's fine..."

"No way Im gonna get another D mission... Id rather eat."

"Ramen available! Horray!"

Sango sighed and started to run after them.

"Oh crap. What will the future hold for me...?"


End file.
